Classic Banana Bread with Cinnamon & Brown Sugar

Ingredients

• 3 bananas ripe bananas

  about 1.25 cups mashed; use heavily speckled bananas for the fullest flavor

• 0.5 cup unsalted butter

  melted and cooled slightly

• 0.5 cup light brown sugar

  packed

• 2 eggs large eggs

  at room temperature if possible

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour

  spooned into the measuring cup and leveled

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt

  use 0.75 tsp if using fine table salt

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that overhangs the long sides.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, leaving a few small pieces for texture. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until evenly combined.
3. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and kosher salt. Add the dry mixture to the banana mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; do not overmix.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan once or twice on the counter to release large air pockets.
5. Bake on the center rack for 45 to 50 minutes, rotating once halfway through, until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
6. Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer it to a rack. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing so the crumb can set.

Make it part of your week.