Whole Wheat Banana Bread

I've modified the banana bread recipe from The 1997 Joy of Cooking to accommodate using 100% whole wheat flour.  The secret to the delicious bread is to add the flour mixture to the butter mixture before adding the other wet ingredients.

A short list of ingredients make it simple to whip up a single loaf early in the morning for brunch or play date snack time. It's also easy to double or even triple the recipe for those times when you want to use up all those blackened bananas that have built up in the freezer!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups whole wheat (or other whole grain) flour
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 5 1/3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup sugar (or less to taste)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (I use 4!) including juices if defrosted
• 1/2 chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

Grease an 8 x 4 loaf pan, or 4 mini loaf pans (pictured above), and line with waxed paper. (Alternately, grease a 12-cup muffin pan, the batter makes excellent muffins as well. It's worth it to grease the muffin pans rather than use baking cups as the outside texture of the muffin will have a nice crisp crusty texture.)

Whisk together flour, salt, soda, and powder. Cream butter and sugar, then add flour mixture, mixing until the consistency of brown sugar.

Add eggs individually, mixing until just combined, then add banana mixture and optional nuts, again mixing until just combined.

Pour batter into loaf pan(s) or muffin pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes (less for smaller pans or muffin pans). Bread is done when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Recently I made a triple batch of this bread in a variety of pans:

I froze nearly all of them and we have enjoyed pulling out loafs and muffins as needed. They are best when reheated in the toaster oven until crisp on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside, although my daughter is happy to eat the mini muffins in their frozen state.

When I make a single large loaf, we eat it within 24 hours without fail. I don't mind so much since it is loaded with fiber and potassium, and contains a minimal amount of butter and sugar. It's a great breakfast, and a great snack!