The Best Thing About the Letter "B" is Banana Bread!

I am not a huge fan of bananas but banana bread is a whole different story! If it was possible all I would ever eat would be sweet breads. I love them all, pumpkin, zucchini, blueberry, poppy seed, mMm the list goes on! However, banana is by far the best and therefore deserves very honorable mention for the letter "B."

Today I am going to share with you my absolute favorite banana bread recipe I have ever tried. Its not some deep dark secret or anything, if anything its amazing-ness is the secret. Its from the food network, one of Emeril's recipes to be exact. And here it is:

Ingredients:

• 10 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
• 1/2 cup sour cream (yes sour cream!)
  
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  
• 2 cups cake flour
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup toasted, chopped walnuts

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 1/2-inch loaf pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter.

Puree the bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a food processor.

Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fixed with a whisk attachment. Add the remaining 10 tablespoons butter and mix on medium-low speed until blended, about 30 seconds. Add the banana mixture in 3 batches, scraping the sides of the bowl and mixing on medium speed between each addition. Fold in the nuts.

Pour into the loaf pan. Bake until lightly browned and bread bounces back to the touch, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack to cool completely.

The website designated this recipe as "intermediate" (who knows why I tried it), but it really is not difficult, just has a few more steps than usual!

I feel like I have just shared something near and dear to me, which shows how important banana bread is in my life :P I hope you try it and love it as much as I do!