Banana bread just like my mother used to make it
After many agonising tries, I have finally figured out the recipe that takes me back to my mother's loving arms.
The sweet smell of ripe baked bananas takes me back to my mother’s kitchen when I was a mere seven year old. By the time I was 15, my mother could no longer share her recipes or secrets with me; she fell sick when I was just a little girl.
Growing up, I knew I wanted to hold on to every piece of her that I could remember and so after experimenting and testing out different recipes, I finally figured out my very own banana bread recipe inspired by my mother. It requires no fancy or expensive ingredients, just normal stuff you have lying around at home.
The only trick is baking it to perfection.
To make your banana bread you will need:
1-cup walnuts or almonds which ever you prefer, chopped coarsely.
Please ensure that you don’t add the nuts in case anyone has a nut allergy. It can be fatal
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 3/4 cups white flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2-teaspoon baking powder
1/4-teaspoon bio-carbonate soda or baking soda
1-teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2-cup butter, melted, at room temperature
4 ripe large bananas, mashed well (Bananas you get in Pakistan are small, so you might want to use 6 or 8 depending on the size)
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
Turn your oven on to 180 degrees Celsius.
Start by mashing the bananas; make sure not to over mash, you still want nice chunky bits in your bread.
Add your eggs, melted butter and vanilla to the bananas
Combine all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then gently fold your wet ingredients into your dry ones.
Butter a loaf pan and dust with flour. Add your prepared mixture into the pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. Check your bread with a long wooden skewer (that’s what I use, to see if it’s cooked through in the middle), it should come out clean.
The bread should be slightly brown on top, when it’s ready. Take it out and give it 15 minutes to cool, and there you have it; your banana bread is ready to serve!
For an extra pat on the shoulder, serve your bread with whipped cinnamon cream.
As I grab one of my mother’s books, curl up in my warm blanket, the smell and taste of this divine bread takes me back to Susie’s loving arms.
I hope your loved ones enjoy this comfort food as much as mine do!
It’s a quick fix and a lovely snack.
References: www.bbc.co.uk and www.joyofbaking.com
Read more by Laila here.
Growing up, I knew I wanted to hold on to every piece of her that I could remember and so after experimenting and testing out different recipes, I finally figured out my very own banana bread recipe inspired by my mother. It requires no fancy or expensive ingredients, just normal stuff you have lying around at home.
The only trick is baking it to perfection.
To make your banana bread you will need:
1-cup walnuts or almonds which ever you prefer, chopped coarsely.
Please ensure that you don’t add the nuts in case anyone has a nut allergy. It can be fatal
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1 3/4 cups white flour
3/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/2-teaspoon baking powder
1/4-teaspoon bio-carbonate soda or baking soda
1-teaspoon cinnamon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2-cup butter, melted, at room temperature
4 ripe large bananas, mashed well (Bananas you get in Pakistan are small, so you might want to use 6 or 8 depending on the size)
1-teaspoon vanilla extract
Method:
Turn your oven on to 180 degrees Celsius.
Start by mashing the bananas; make sure not to over mash, you still want nice chunky bits in your bread.
Add your eggs, melted butter and vanilla to the bananas
Combine all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl and then gently fold your wet ingredients into your dry ones.
Butter a loaf pan and dust with flour. Add your prepared mixture into the pan and bake for 35-45 minutes. Check your bread with a long wooden skewer (that’s what I use, to see if it’s cooked through in the middle), it should come out clean.
The bread should be slightly brown on top, when it’s ready. Take it out and give it 15 minutes to cool, and there you have it; your banana bread is ready to serve!
For an extra pat on the shoulder, serve your bread with whipped cinnamon cream.
As I grab one of my mother’s books, curl up in my warm blanket, the smell and taste of this divine bread takes me back to Susie’s loving arms.
I hope your loved ones enjoy this comfort food as much as mine do!
It’s a quick fix and a lovely snack.
References: www.bbc.co.uk and www.joyofbaking.com
Read more by Laila here.