Bananas Foster Banana Bread

           My blog crush did it again, I found another recipe by B.E.B. and it is such a yummy twist on regular banana bread. Bananas Foster Banana Bread? what doesn't sound good? bananas? yum! walnuts? yum! sugar? yum! RUM? YUUUUUM!! :) I don't think I'd change anything and I wouldn't even know where to start it's such a twist I would've never came up with this. I take that back, My only complaint is I had to double the glaze because I wanted the topping extra moist and the amount of glaze the recipe gives just barely covers the whole loaf. It might've been because I used rum extract versus the 1/4 cup of rum beverage the recipe asked for.  B.E.B says rum extract could be used, so I opted for that since I don't have rum in the house. recipe as follows.

Bananas Foster Banana Bread
Yield: 1 loaf
For the Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk
For the Streusel Topping:
1½ cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter
For the Rum Glaze:
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup rum ( I used 1 Tbl rum imitation rum extract because that's what the hubby brought back from the grocery store. )

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

2. Combine ingredients for streusel topping in a medium bowl and combine with fingers to create a crumbly topping with the butter evenly distributed. Set aside.

3. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine. Set aside.

4. On medium speed, beat the sugar and vegetable oil to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract; beat to combine. Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the flour is incorporated and finish mixing with a spatula.

5. Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 60 minutes. (Mine took about 1 hour and 15 minutes for the knife to come out clean in the middle)

6. To make the rum glaze, combine the butter, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
 (Totally forgot to picture this like an idiot, but I'm sure you all know how to combine all of these in a saucepan.)

7. Cool the cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, using a skewer poke holes all over the top of the loaf. Spoon about ¼ cup of the rum glaze all over the loaf. Let the cake sit for about 5 minutes and then spoon the remaining glaze over it, a little at a time, until it is all absorbed into the bread.   (I just pictured 2 skewers in it so you get my drift...obviously poke plenty of holes in your loaf for the glaze to run down into. ) ENJOY!!

A light non cakey version of zucchini bread.

              So I have never made zucchini bread before but I absolutely adore it. My friend Erika told me about a book by America's Test Kitchen called "The NEW Best Recipe". It has 1,000 recipes in it!! humongous book!! I have yet to make anything from it...until now.  Zucchini bread is one of my favorites. I remember going to my Aunts house in Virginia when I was 15 and when she told me she was making zucchini bread I think I gagged in my mouth. Nothing sounds yummy about bread with shredded squash! Boy was I wrong...it was delightful. I make banana breads, pumpkin breads even strawberry breads, But I have yet to try a zucchini bread. I had 3 zucchini on hand so I figured what better time to bake it than any right?  I'm used to the sweet super dense zucchini breads and this one clearly states it's light, and not cakey and not very sweet to enhance the zucchini flavor so I gave it a try. It is very moist without being dense and it does indeed taste good without being too sweet. recipe as follows.

Zucchini Bread
Makes 1 loaf
2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
1 pound zucchini, washed and dried, ends and stems removed, cut in half lengthwise and seeded, each half cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ cup (5¼ ounces) granulated sugar
½ cup pecans or walnuts, chopped coarse
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1 tablespoon juice from 1 lemon
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; dust with flour, tapping out the excess.

2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, process the zucchini and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until the zucchini is coarsely shredded, twelve to fifteen 1-second pulses. Transfer the mixture to a fine-mesh strainer set at least 2 inches over a bowl and allow to drain for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can shred the zucchini (don’t cut into 1-inch pieces) on the large holes of a box grater, toss with the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and drain.

3. Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a cooling rack and cool completely. Transfer the nuts to a large bowl; add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, and whisk until combined. Set aside.

4. Whisk together the remaining ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, yogurt, eggs, lemon juice, and melted butter until combined. Set aside.

5. After the zucchini has drained, squeeze the zucchini with several layers of paper towels to absorb excess moisture. (I used a cheese cloth)

Stir the zucchini and the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture until just moistened. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.

6. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted int he center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for at least 1 hour before serving. (The bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

Banana Bread

There is nothing like waking up to the smell of banana bread. Especially if you know it is baked with love. I remember waking up on the weekends and my nose would follow that sweet delectable scent of vanilla and bananas. what's not to love? If I could have my mom live here just to make me her banana bread, I would!! buuuut she's in San Diego...sigh...making banana bread for herself.....thanks mom. :( ...I was feeling experimental and I found a recipe online & thought I'd try it out.  !! recipe as follows.

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar ( I used vanilla sugar which you can buy or accomplish by putting a vanilla bean and 2 cups sugar in a jar for 1 to 2 weeks)
2 eggs
2 Tb sour cream1/2 cup oil
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract ( I used 1 whole vanilla bean )
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
Walnuts if you desire, I had to leave them out due to the in-laws preference. 


(forgot to picture oil. sorry...and I meant the eggs to be eyes with a vanilla nose...get your head out of the gutter PEOPLE!!!..lol )

preheat oven to 350 degrees F. grease inside of loaf pan with butter or cooking spray.

Sift together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Or if you hate dishes, a disposable cup. :)

In your mixing bowl add the eggs and sugar and beat for about 5 minutes so they're fluffy and a cream color. After the mixture is thick and fluffy, add the remaining wet ingredients starting with incorporating the oil.

Cut vanilla bean down the middle length wise and take a small spoon to scrape out the seeds. Transfer to bowl of wet ingredients.

Once well blended add your dry ingredients and if you'd like to add nuts, go for it!

Pour the mixture into your loaf pan.

and bake for 50 minutes to 55 minutes. Or until toothpick comes out clean. I sprinkle a sugar cinammon blend on top for an added sweetness and crunch.

?? for some reason my sugar cinnamon topping did not stay crunchy like usual. but it made pretty colors. :)

My husband rated this a 7 compared to previous banana breads I've made. Don't get me wrong it's very moist, and the flavors are delicious. But all in all, I've made better. I just recently bought a humongous book from America's test kitchen. I will be trying that version next. Still on a hunt for the best banana bread...in the WOOOOooooooRrrrrrrld!!!!! muahahahA!