A historic cake
Coming from the United States, the banana bread trend is a hit in France and on social networks. However, it is not new, this cake (and not a bread, as its name suggests), which would have seen the light across the Atlantic in the 1930s, at the heart of the economic crisis, when nothing should be spoiled , not even overripe bananas. This classic is now celebrated on February 23, officially declared Banana Bread Day
Banana bread: qualities galore
Economic : he values blackening bananas that no one decides to eat.
Good to know: the more black spots on the banana skin, the better. Bananas are riper, therefore sweeter.
Soft : after baking, the banana bread is ultra soft. And it will keep for five days in an airtight container and six months in the freezer.
Fragrant : some find aromas of honey and spices, coming from the very ripe flesh of the bananas. Others recommend adding a touch of cinnamon to enhance the taste.
Practical : all things considered, banana bread is perfect for breakfast as well as a snack. In Australia, we like it sliced grilled with a layer of butter. In short, it’s the all-purpose cake.
Anti-allergy : if the basic recipe contains wheat flour, it can easily be prepared in gluten-free mode.
Banana bread: an ultra easy recipe
Few instruments, few technical gestures, it's the ideal cake for beginners. For a classic cake mold (28 cm), mix the flesh of 3 very ripe bananas in a food processor. Add 100 g of soft butter, 2 eggs, 200 g of wheat flour, 75 g of white sugar or brown sugar, 3 tbsp. cinnamon, 1 tbsp. teaspoon of baking powder, 1 pinch of salt and, optionally, 5 cl of rum. Mix everything well. Pour into the buttered mold. Cook for 45 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C (th. 6).
Gourmet variants
No gluten : replace the wheat flour with 100 g of rice flour or 80 g of coconut flour.
Vegan : replace the eggs with 2 tbsp. tbsp. mixed chia seeds + 4 tbsp. tablespoon of water. Leave to swell for ten minutes. Replace the butter with 80 g of coconut oil.
Light : replace the butter with 120 g of fromage blanc or Greek yogurt.
Chocolatey : add 50 g of chocolate chips or 6 tbsp. of unsweetened cocoa in the dough. A very strong espresso combines very well with it.
With seeds : slip 50 g of seed mixture into the dough (chopped hazelnuts, walnut kernels, pumpkin or sunflower seeds, pecans, flaked almonds, etc.) The extra? Roast them in a pan for 10 minutes over low heat to give them more flavor.
Fruit : add 1 apple cut into cubes, 125 g of blueberries or raspberries, or 200 g of pineapple pieces to the dough. Place a banana cut in half lengthwise on the cake before putting it in the oven.
Decorated : for a super gourmet version, cover the banana bread with cream cheese frosting. Whisk 175 g of Philadelphia with 50 g of unsalted butter, 50 g of icing sugar and 1 tbsp. tablespoon of milk. Coat the banana bread with it, sprinkle with dried fruits as desired (almonds, pistachios, pecans, coconut) and leave to cool for 1 to 2 hours before eating.
The banana bread bible
In “Banana Bread” (Ed. Marabout), Christelle Huet-Gomez compiles information, tips and surprising recipes: apple buckwheat, carrot bread, chocolate caramel…
