Banana Bread

I found this recipe (submitted by Mary Braun) in the Mennonite Treasury, listed under Banana Cake, when I was still closer to being a newly wed. Over the years I have tried different recipes, all good, but somehow always come back to this very simple loaf, a favorite of one of my daughter’s. So I guess it deserves a spot on this blog. If you compare the recipes, you will notice that I have reduced the sugar and added orange juice, but it is great the original way too.

Ingredients:

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 med)

2-3 Tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate
¾ cup white sugar
½ cup butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour
4 Tbsp buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream

Grease and flour 2 small loaf pans. Mash bananas and mix with orange concentrate. Set aside. Cream butter, adding sugar gradually. Add eggs, banana pulp and vanilla. Stir in combined dry ingredients, alternately with buttermilk. Pour into prepared pans and bake at 350F about 40 min. or until toothpick comes out clean. The original suggestion is to serve it with whipped cream, but you don’t need a thing on it when it’s fresh. Freezes well.