Banana Bread

Yield: Makes 2 loaves

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

-       3 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

-       2 teaspoons baking soda

-       ½ teaspoon cinnamon

-       ½ teaspoon salt

-       4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes

-       2 1/3 cups sugar

-       1 cup vegetable oil

-       3 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (6 large)

-       ¼ cup crème fraiche

-       2 teaspoons vanilla

-       1 1/3 cups walnuts (4 oz, toasted and chopped)

-       1 free-standing mixer

Preparation:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter 2 metal loaf pans (9 x 5 x 3 inch) then dust with flour, knocking out excess.

2.     Sift together 3 ¼ cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.

3.     Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, crème fraiche, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture and walnuts gently but thoroughly.

4.     Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick of skewer comes out clean, 1 – 1 ¼ hours.

5.     Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Turns loaves right side up and cool completely.

Note: Bread keeps wrapped in plastic wrap for 2 days, or frozen for 1 month.

PC: Spencer Maughan