# Best Banana Bread I've Ever Had!!!



## Audeo

I thought my recipe for banana-nut bread was great right up until this morning.  The difference in texture and taste is incredible, and I will never make banana bread by any other recipe again!

*The BEST Banana Bread*

Butter a non-stick bread pan, then flour well.  (The flour is really important for the bread to climb against while baking.  I had not done that before, and it makes a huge difference!)

Combine and mix well the following dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside:
2 cups AP flour
1¾ cup sugar
1½ cup toasted coarsely chopped walnuts
1½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ teaspoon salt

In another medium bowl, coarsely smash 3 ripe bananas (use a large spoon or spatula and don't puree the banana as it needs to be chunky)

To the bananas, add and combine: (but try not to reduce the banana chunks)

2 large eggs, beaten
6 Tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1¼ cup buttermilk or plain yogurt

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently FOLD until the flour is thoroughly moistened and no longer visible.  Pour into the prepared bread pan and spread the mixture evenly across the top.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree (F) oven for 45-50 minutes.

Before, I had mixed my batter in my KitchenAid, the wet stuff first, then added the dry and mixed some more.  Making banana bread with this method yields a hearty, beautiful loaf that is absolutely delicious!


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## MJ

I have been searching for that perfect banana bread recipe. Thanks again Audeo!


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## wasabi woman

my DIL makes the best banana bread I've every eaten, but she won't turn loose with the recipe, so I'm sure going to try this one!  If it's better than hers, I'll make sure to make it the next time she's here.  If it's not as good as hers, I'll wrestle her to  the ground till she tells me the secret!!!

Thanks Audeo!!!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

First, Wasabi Woman, I like your attitude  .

And Audeo.  This looks like an incredible recipe.  I will be tring it, but sith Splenda of course.. I hope the sugar isn't required for proper texture.  I'll let you know.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Audeo

Goodweed, I'm certain that Splenda will work perfectly!  

WW, do let me know if you need bail bond money, should it come to blows, because I'm gonna want to see that recipe, too!!!  :twisted: 

MJ, always a pleasure!  


Edited to conserve wasted space...don't quite know what happened here!


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## middie

wow audeo that sounds incredible. thanks so much for sharing your recipe with us !


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## Audeo

Thank you, middie!  Wish I could take credit for it, but the more appropriate one would be Otter for turning me on to America's Test Kitchen on PBS.  Really, really dig the information in that show...)

This makes some off-the-charts banana bread, but one loaf at a time.  The one from yesterday went fast and I fortunately had three bananas left over to answer the beg for more this morning...!

It will change your whole experience with banana bread, assuming you make yours differently, as I did!


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## GB

I can't wait to try this. I love banana bread and this one looks great! I always have a few ripe bananas in the freezer waiting to be made into bread  Thanks for sharing Audeo!!!


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## Alix

Hey Audeo, your recipe is very like mine, except we use chocolate chips instead of nuts (because of the allergies). All I have to say is YUM.


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## Audeo

I bet chocolate chips in this would be outstanding!  Thanks for that suggestion, Alix!

I look forward to your opinion, GB!


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## GB

OK now I may need to make one with nuts and one with chocolate chips. Oh and maybe one with both


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## thumpershere2

Audio, your banana bread recipe sounds yummy and i am going to try it
 soon. Thanks for sharing


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## Chopstix

Thanks Audeo.  We love banana bread but we've never made it.  We always buy it at specialty bakeshops here that have excellent banana bread.  However, if this recipe is the best one ever in your opinion, I will surely try it!  I hope it's moist too because that's how we like it! 

Btw, if using Splenda, is it 1:1 substitution with sugar? Thanks!


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## tancowgirl2000

I just may try your recipe one day it sounds wunderbar, but my DH may take me to the trash if I ever alter his Banana Bread.  I use my mommy's recipe and well, he says there is nothing else like it.  I alternate between walnuts, ch.chips and nothing....all ways it is still good!  

Thanks for sharing!


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## In the Kitchen

Audeo, thanks.  One more way to save my bananas!  If I can SAVE anything in food area it is truly appreciated.  Thanks for sharing.


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## Audeo

Chopstix, it IS moist and hearty and so full of BANANA flavor!  I am truly amazed at just how good this bread is...sincerely the best I have EVER had!

Splenda would work spendidly in this recipe, and I would substitute it for sugar 1:1.

Tanis, I'd sneak this recipe on your husband just to see his reaction!

And ITK, after finding this method, I doubt that I'll ever have to freeze a banana again.  Getting them to ripen fast enough has become the challenge!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

I'm gonna go make some banana bread now.  

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Chopstix

Thanks Audeo!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Warning!  I made Audeo's banana bread recipe.  It came out very moist, and with good banana flavor.  I did make an alteration to the recipe, as I didn't have one of the ingredants available to me at the time.  I substituted hulled sunflower seeds for the walnuts.  Teh sunflower seeds were good, but overpowered the rich banana flavor somewhat.  I believe this recipe would have been incredible, sans the sunflower seeds.  And we all know that walnuts, or even pecans, go well in most quickbreads.  They lend a subtle flavor and wonderful texture, whereas the sunflower seeds flavor permeated the end product.

Be careful what you substitue in recipes.  Sometimes they work, and sometimes they don't.  On the other hand, my wife loved the flavor more than if they had the walnuts.  I didn't.  Jsut goes to show that we all have differing tates.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Audeo

ROFL, Goodweed!!!   I think it's ingenious to even try sunflower seeds!  And, as you said, your wife love it.  What could be more important than that!!!

Next time, try the walnuts or pecans...  

This recipe changed my banana bread lifestyle.  I'm glad you enjoyed it, as well.


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## SizzlininIN

Thanks Audeo for the recipe I just printed it off just now.  I am constantly throwing away bananas that are too mushy to eat........I know I know its a waste   But next time I'm going to try this.  Did you use the buttermilk or plain yogurt?


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## Tasha

*Can't Wait to Try It!*

I can't wait to try this out on my little guy, bet he makes this his new favorite since it's very similar to my old recipe.


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## PA Baker

SizzlininIN said:
			
		

> Thanks Audeo for the recipe I just printed it off just now.  I am constantly throwing away bananas that are too mushy to eat........I know I know its a waste   But next time I'm going to try this.  Did you use the buttermilk or plain yogurt?



Sizz, I used buttermilk (2% fat) and it came out just incredibly well!  It really is the best I've ever had.  I'm not a big banana fan at all, but I could have easily eaten this whole loaf myself.  It has a very warm, mellow taste to it and the texture is very tender and smooth, a small light--but moist--crumb....just fabulous!

I used toasted pecans rather than walnuts and added a small amount (a heaping 1/4 tsp or scant 1/2 tsp) of cinnamon.


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## SizzlininIN

Thanks PA!


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## lyndalou

I doubled the recipe and made 3 smaller loaves yesterday. They turned out great, but the tops of the breadw were cracked. Should I have expected this? The taste and texture are great.


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## PA Baker

The top of mine cracked lengthwise just a bit.  Most quick breads do.  My oven tends to brown things quickly so I rested a piece of foil over the top for the last 15 minutes of baking.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Bought some walnuts.  Gonna try the real thing tonight!  

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## PA Baker

I bought more bananas so I can make it again this weekend--I'm hooked!  I'm sticking with pecans--I like them more than walnuts.


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## Audeo

Welcome to my very happy nightmare, boys and girls.....you just can't keep enough ripening bananas around the house after finding this one!  I've  two loaves in the oven as we write!

I thought you guys would enjoy this recipe, too.    The two differences in this recipe and any others I have ever made are (1) the use of buttermilk; and (2) the technique of leaving the banana bits in a somewhat chunky mass, instead of almost blending it with the other wet ingredients.  And those two differences, in my opinion, are profound.

Happy baking, folks!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Made it, they loved it (me too  ).  For another twist on things (you know me, I just can't leave well enough alone), add four bananas instead of three.  The result is almost like a very moist, yet stable banana pudding.  But you can spread butter on it, or make it into that classic flavor that all kids try, peanut butter and banana, just by spreading some PB on it.

My 21 year old said, "I could volunteer to take the rest home."  I hurriedly kicked him out of the house.  I mean, I gave him the leftover turkey carcass for soup.  My youngest daughter wasn't happy with that.  Turkey and rice soup is one of her all-time favorite meals after Thanksgiving.  She moaned that I had broken our tradition.

Of course it was very late and time for him to go home anyway.  I need to get some sleep after all.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## SizzlininIN

Went to the store yesterday for all my shopping..........now I just have to wait for these bananas to rippen   My luck the little one will suddenly have a desire to eat them before I get a chance.....usually when I buy them he'll eat a few.  He used to devore 2 at a time but I think he must of burnt himself out of them.  He was like a banana theif.  I'd come into the kitchen and the chair would be pulled up to the counter and banana peels screwn all over


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## swinchen

Wanna make this recipe even better?

Add the zest from half a lemon or orange.   mmmmmm.


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## kitchenelf

Swinchen - that sounds incredibly good!!!!  I think I would go with the lemon for some reason.


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## PA Baker

I was in the kitchen at 10:30 Friday night because I HAD to have some fresh for breakfast on Saturday.  I knew I was tired but didn't realize how tired until I started mixing the wet ingredients into the dry and couldn't figure out why the consistency was so different than the last time.  Suddenly I realized I'd forgotten to add in the bananas!   Sort of takes away from the banana bread!  So I added them in after the fact.  The bread was still very good, just a bit less tender and more dense than normal.  I won't forget the bananas again!


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## chez suz

Banana Bread is in the oven w/2 minor changes...used pecans...thats what I had...used sourcream..as went to use yogart and although date was good yogart wasn't!  I generally like using sourcream so I'm not concerned...I think the mixing changes, chunks of banana, and use of sourcream, yogart or buttermilk which are the changes  from my original recipe is what will make the difference.
Will let you know...


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## kitchenelf

YUM!!!  I use sour cream in my banana bread too - can't wait for your review of this one!


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## Audeo

Me, too, Elf!  I can't wait to hear the result of sub'ing sour cream....

And I would never have thought of adding lemon or orange zest!  What a great idea!!!  I also agree with using pecans, which I dearly love and have a wealth of right now.

Thanks to all for tweaking this recipe!  (And Goodweed, I now always use 3 bananas....!  4 makes an almost pudding texture, huh?  Food for near future thought there!)


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## chez suz

The verdict is in...Thumbs Up...perfect moist cake, pieces of banana that I can see!!
I believe the sourcream works much like the buttermilk or yogart...adding moisture.
I used 3 lg bananas..just right..I dont see a need for more.
I have seen lemon juice used in other banana bread recipes..I thought it was to keep the banana from turning brown..as it didn't add flavor.  Oops I see it was zest that was added...not for me, but why not.
My only addition at times is chocolate chips.. and or shredded coconut but today I was watching my calories!!!


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## GB

OK I finally got around to making this. I love it!!! It is so moist and banana-y 

As it was baking my wife looked at me with nervous eyes. She said that she was a little scared. When I asked what she was scared of she told me that she didn't know what she would do if she liked this one better than her moms   

Well when she had her first taste, she thought it was great. Her moms is much different. No where near as moist. I think we have a winner!!!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

The first time I made this, I used sour cream as I couldn't find any buttermilk at the local supermarket, and didn't feel like buying a huge tub of yougurt for one recipe of banana bread.  It turned out very good, except of course for the sunflower-seed flavor.

The reason the buttermilk, yougurt, and sour cream work is that the acid in them reacts with the baking powder.  It gives off the carbon dioxide gas that rasies the bread during the cooking process.  They all have a sour componant to them (the acid), and help ballance the other sweet ingrediants.  The only thing I could imagine that would make a difference between the three is that buttermilk has more water in it.  But then, most of that evaporates out anyway.

And as for the number of bananas used, I guess it would depend of the size of the individual fruits.  I used three in my last batch as the bananas were large.  In my first and second batches, the bananas were about medium size.

And you people are correct about the texture being dependant on the fruit amount.  Too much banana will make the end result gooey.  But then, that's not always a bad thing either.  

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## chez suz

Goodweed..I knew there was some type of reaction going on by using the buttermilk, yougart or sourcream...thank you for giving it a good explanation.
I also let my chicken sit in a buttermilk mixture overnite prior to making fried chicken.


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## runninduo

I finally had the chance to make this recipe.

It was delicious.  Only change I made was to put in chocolate chips instead of the nuts (i don't like nuts in cakes/muffins.....unless it only in the topping).

My dh LOVED it.

Laur


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## PA Baker

I made a batch last night and in an attempt to make it a little more healthy, I used 1 c AP flour and 1 c whole wheat.  It did change the texture a bit, but not in a bad way.  It had a finer crumb than the all AP.  The nuttiness was enhanced, too, as expected.  So overall, I would probably still choose to use all AP flour, but in an effort to make it a tad healthier, I'd do this again.


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## SierraCook

I made this using 1 cup of whole wheat flour and I cup of all-purpose flour.  I also added 3/4 cup of chocolate chips.  The one mistake I made was adding an extra banana because the bananas I had were kind of small.  The center did not get quite done.  I really like the banana in chunks.


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## LeeAnn

Thanks for the recipe, I love any and all that I can get.  I have a banana bread recipe that has always turned out a perfect loaf, I will try this one and add it to my favorites!  Banana bread is a must in our house!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North

Audeo;  You have gotten almost as much mileage from your banana bread recipe as I have from my pancake recipe.  Way to go.   

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## 61Grampyjoe

Used this recipe for a "loaf" and 4 mini loaves.  The loaf was outstanding! The mini loaves cooked 10 minutes faster and almost burnt.  I used pampered chef stoneware pans and the outside browned very evenly. Thanks for making 6 bananas in to paradise!


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## tinchef

I've been making the best banana bread recipe I could find, but hubby says there isn't enough banana flavor. Yours...with the banana chunks sounds like a winner. I will sure try it soon.


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## Kasia

*picture*

Can You give me photo  this bread ?


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## Alix

]





Kasia said:


> Can You give me photo  this bread ?



Kasia, Audeo has been gone from the forum for a long time. Hopefully someone who recently made this recipe will post for you.


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## Kasia

*Thanks*

Thanks a lot


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## 61Grampyjoe

*Banana Photo*

Here is a photo I took for you.  Hope it helps.  I used pecans after roasting them 350 degrees for 10 minutes​
The photo has a bite out of it....


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## Kasia

*Thanks a lot*

I have a question. What kind are degrees? Fahrenheit  or Celsius?


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## Alix

Unless otherwise specified, recipes on this site are in F. So 350F. If you think about it, 350C would be pretty darned toasty!


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## Russellkhan

Thanks for bringing this thread to the surface, guys! This looks like a recipe worth trying.


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## CWS4322

I beg to differ. The best banana bread I have ever eaten was at The Beaver Club (Montreal, PQ). When I was a tour manager, I used to stay at the  Queen Elizabeth and eat at the Beaver Club. This banana bread was always in the fruit basket in my room and in the bread basket in the restaurant. On my last tour, I asked the chef for the recipe, as well as the recipe for the chocolate mousse. He sent the two recipes, handwritten, to my room. They were slipped under the door around midnight. I have made this many, many times. I do not like bananas, but I love this bread. A search of the Internet, this one is the closest to his handwritten recipe:

Tinkerblue: Black Banana Bread

What is missing is that he told me to use brown grocery bags, cut to fit my pans, and to rub them with butter using my hands, both sides. There are many versions of this recipe on the 'Net, but this one is almost identical to the one the chef shared with me. If you like moist, banana-y, yes, also sticky banana bread, this one fits the bill.


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## bakechef

CWS4322 said:


> I beg to differ. The best banana bread I have ever eaten was at The Beaver Club (Montreal, PQ). When I was a tour manager, I used to stay at the  Queen Elizabeth and eat at the Beaver Club. This banana bread was always in the fruit basket in my room and in the bread basket in the restaurant. On my last tour, I asked the chef for the recipe, as well as the recipe for the chocolate mousse. He sent the two recipes, handwritten, to my room. They were slipped under the door around midnight. I have made this many, many times. I do not like bananas, but I love this bread. A search of the Internet, this one is the closest to his handwritten recipe:
> 
> Tinkerblue: Black Banana Bread
> 
> What is missing is that he told me to use brown grocery bags, cut to fit my pans, and to rub them with butter using my hands, both sides. There are many versions of this recipe on the 'Net, but this one is almost identical to the one the chef shared with me. If you like moist, banana-y, yes, also sticky banana bread, this one fits the bill.



I'm intrigued by this recipe, but what stopped me in my tracks was the 7 teaspoons of baking soda!


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## CWS4322

Try it once. I love it. And I hate bananas. It makes 2 loaves.

The recipe the chef gave me used 6 bananas, very ripe, mashed (I used black bananas and a potato masher--the hardest thing for me is to get past the smell of the bananas and handling them). 

4 c sugar
4 c flour
4 eggs 
1/2 c oil
1 c buttermilk
1-2 tsp vanilla 
6 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 275 with the rack in the middle.

Blend the bananas, sugar, and baking SODA at high for 1 minute.

Add eggs and flour alternating. Mix well.

I shake the oil, vanilla, and buttermilk up in a canning jar, add that and beat for 2 minutes until smooth.


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## Kylie1969

Thanks for the recipe CWS


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