There Is No Bad Banana Bread

Really, there isn't. I have tried at least 2 dozen recipes for banana bread and they are ALL good. The only bad banana bread is bread that is undercooked. Even overbaked bread can be saved by application of butter. Ok..it is true that some of these yuppy chefs are adding weird stuff to traditional fare, but let's ignore their recipes. They change them not to make them better, but to be different.

Here is a yummy, but slightly fussier-to-make banana bread. It is unusual in that there is a topping. I hope you try this one. It may not be your standard everyday banana bread, but it is worth making for that special occasion. If you have trouble accumulating bananas for banana bread, remember that you can freeze them. Peel them, slice into one inch pieces, put into a sealed plastic container and stick in freezer until you have enough. You can freeze the banana whole, but it takes longer to unthaw. Oh, were you looking for low-fat, sugar reduced fare? Sorry, you won't find it here. Just limit your portions (if you can) and have the real thing.

Indescribably Delicious Banana Bread

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
4 very ripe bananas, mashed*
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 Tbs buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt

Topping:
6 Tbs butter
10 Tbs dark brown sugar
5 Tbs milk
1 cup or more, chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar. Mash bananas, beat the eggs and add to the bananas with the vanilla and buttermilk. Mix well. Add to creamed butter and sugar mixture. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add to banana mixture, beat well. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9"x 5"x 3" loaf pans. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until bread pulls away from sides of pan.

Cool Topping: Melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Cook until very syrupy. Remove from heat and add chopped pecans. Pour over bread, spreading to all the corners and place under broiler until bubbly and brown. WATCH CLOSELY so topping does not burn.

*Note: Use the softest mushy bananas that you can. I leave them on the counter until they are almost black. It originally came from a Jr. League in Austin cookbook, but I don't have the exact details.