Banana Bread

BANANA BREAD

Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs (room temperature)
1 ½ cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Tools/Equipment
Large Bowl
Medium Bowl
Whisk
Stand mixer with paddle or electric hand mixer
Parchment paper
Loaf pan

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with parchment; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using your electric mixer, cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Add eggs one at a time and beat to incorporate.
3. In a medium bowl, using a whisk, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Using your electric mixer, add dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture, and mixing on low speed until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; on low speed mix to combine. Pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 1 hour. Insert a cake tester or skewer. If tester comes out clean, remove from oven. If not, bake for another 8-10 minutes until tester is clean. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Chef Notes:
· Let butter sit out on your counter overnight to soften
· Measure out all ingredients first, then begin directions portion of recipe
· Creaming butter & sugar adds airy lightness to your banana bread. Slowly add one egg, on low speed, mix until its incorporated, then add the second egg and repeat.
· Every oven is different. Use the timing on this recipe as a guideline and test your banana bread multiple times after an hour of baking. The key is to underbake, ever so slightly and allow the banana bread to rest.  The residual heat will continue to cook the bread after you have removed it from the oven