Spotty bananas, brown sugar, a dash of bourbon and one-hand mixing — a simple, spiced loaf that’s dangerously easy to love
Confession time again! You see these babies — the brown, spotty, past-their-prime bananas that are about 36 hours from attracting fruit flies? I love them. They’re my absolute favorite. I know most people would toss them, and I know you might be horrified that I love something so rotten, but I am a closeted freckled-banana eater.
The list of people who know my secret are as follows: Alex (who married me anyway); my mother-in-law (who nearly threw some away until I cried “wait!”); the lady at the bodega where I get yogurt and fruit, who watches me sift daily; Molly, who I confessed to over cream-cheese frosting; and now you. Go easy on me, please.
My love of spotty bananas conflicts with one of my other loves — banana bread. Exactly when the bananas hit prime baking stage, I don’t want to share them; I haven’t made banana bread in years for that reason. But I’m feeling generous this week and craving a small treat, and when I saw this recipe on Elise’s site I thought, maybe I could share.
Oddly (and somewhat flattering), I used Simply Recipes’ version as I use Epicurious: I read the comments to check adjustments, then I jacked it up. I swapped white sugar for light brown, cut back the sugar, added a splash of bourbon, used salted butter and boosted cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves. I mixed it with one hand. I hope Elise’s friend’s friend doesn’t mind that I bastardized the recipe—I couldn’t resist gilding the lily. And that one tablespoon of bourbon? This is not the time to quibble about exact measurements.
It was just what the doctor ordered. (Actually, no — the doctor ordered six weeks in a sling, but that’s another story.) This loaf is the height of banana-bread perfection: the extras add depth without overwhelming the base. It’s now my go-to recipe.
Servings | Time (bake) | Source |
|---|---|---|
Not specified (loaf yields one standard 4×8-inch loaf; author split into two mini-loaves) | 50–60 minutes (mini-loaves ~45 minutes) | Adapted from Simply Recipes |
Ingredient | Amount / Notes |
|---|---|
Ripe bananas, smashed | 3–4 |
Salted butter, melted | 1/3 cup (75 g) |
Light brown sugar | 3/4 to 1 cup (145–190 g) — author prefers the smaller amount |
Egg, beaten | 1 |
Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon (5 ml) |
Bourbon (optional) | 1 tablespoon (15 ml) |
Baking soda | 1 teaspoon (5 g) |
Pinch of salt | — |
Ground cinnamon | 1 teaspoon (3 g) |
Nutmeg | Up to 1/2 teaspoon |
Ground cloves | Pinch |
All-purpose flour | 1 1/2 cups (190 g) |
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl, use a wooden spoon to mix the melted butter into the mashed bananas. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, vanilla and bourbon, then mix in the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the bowl and stir them in. Add the flour last and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into a buttered 4×8-inch loaf pan.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack, remove from the pan and slice to serve.
Note: The author split the batter into two mini-loaf pans (because of a fondness for small things). Two mini-loaves baked in about 45 minutes in the author’s oven; oven times may vary.
Tip |
|---|
Use very spotty, overripe bananas — they’re the flavor base of a great banana bread. |
No mixer required — mix by hand with a wooden spoon for a rustic loaf. |
Swap white sugar for light brown sugar and reduce the amount for deeper flavor. |
Add a splash (~1 tbsp) of bourbon for warmth and complexity (optional). |
For smaller, faster loaves, split batter into mini pans; expect ~45 minutes bake time. |
