Banana Bread

Recipe from Mimi

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter (shortening was the original fat)

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 3 to 4 super ripe (browned) bananas

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla

• ½ cup walnuts (opt)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350˚ F.

Mix sugars and fats together, add eggs. Mix in all other ingredients. Pour into bread pans.

Cook for 45 minutes. Let rest on sides until cool.

If using muffin tins, cook for 20 mins and check.

Note

Mom would always line the bread tins with wax paper before cooking so the bread wouldn’t stick and she would let it cool on its side. I do too because of tradition.

However, Mimi is right.

Cooling bread on its side (or a rack) out of the pan prevents a soggy bottom by allowing air to circulate, letting steam escape, and allowing the internal structure to set, which creates a fluffy, non-gummy texture and makes it easier to slice cleanly without squishing. Leaving it in the pan traps steam, continuing to cook the bottom and making it damp and sticky.