Banana Bread gets a Makeover

When you’re an expat living in a country where you can’t get your favorite baked goods at every grocery store, you can quickly make friends by bringing something from ” home” to a gathering of expats!

Banana Bread, Zucchini Bread, Brownies, any American style cookie, and real Cheesecake ( from cream cheese not quark-yuck) are a few examples.

You ever have a friend who has a signature baked specialty? My friend has the most talked about banana bread EVER!  There is something about this banana bread that everyone, myself included, raves about.

While I always LOVED my mother’s banana bread ( may she rest in peace)  I never was able to duplicate it. I’m wondering though…she never let us eat it the day she made it and maybe that is the difference. In my household, banana bread is devoured the day its made??

To the best of my knowledge, my mom used a Better Homes & Garden recipe. ( my sisters can correct me if I’m wrong). Here is that recipe

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
• 2 beaten eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup oil ( I use canola)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts ( optional)

1. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3 inch pan. Set aside. Combine flour, bakingpowder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl combine eggs, bananas, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened ( batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts if using.  Spoon batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake in a 350°F over for 55-60 minutes, or until tooth pick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cover with foil if necessary to prevent overbrowning. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely, wrap in aluminum foil and DO NOT EAT UNTIL NEXT DAY!

Pretty standard, pretty typical banana bread. BUT- believe me, you HAVE to try the recipe I’m about to share with you!

Banana Bread-  Cologne Style

• 2 lg eggs room temperature
• 1/2 cup ( 113g) butter, room temperature
• 1 cup ( 115g) sugar
• 1 1/2 cups ( 170g)  flour *** if you’re in Germany using type 405, increase a little) ***
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup  very ripe,very mashed bananas- about 3 1/2  ( I use an immersion blender and puree them)
• 1/2 cup creme fraiche
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup walnuts ( optional)

Tomorrow you’ll get my hands down favorite  brownie recipe!