Ultimate Banana Bread

Recipe and photograph reprinted with permission. From America's Test Kitchen's Cook's Illustrated Baking Book. © 2013.

• Servings: Makes 1 loaf.

As is so often the case with recipes from the folks at America's Test Kitchen, this book's editors offer some insight into why this recipe is as it is, and why it works.  Here is some of what they had to say, plus some tips for success:

Our ideal banana bread is simple enough—a moist, tender loaf that really tastes like bananas. We discovered that doubling the dose of bananas in our favorite test recipe was both a blessing and a curse. The abundance of fruit made for intense banana flavor, but the weight and moisture sank the loaf and gave it a cakelike structure. We wanted to add banana flavor without excess moisture for a truly exceptional loaf.

Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or even black) bananas in this recipe. This recipe can be made using five thawed frozen bananas; since they release a lot of liquid naturally, they can bypass the microwaving in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh strainer. Do not use a thawed frozen banana in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead, simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with sugar. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches; if you use a 9 by 5‑inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe. The texture is best when the loaf is eaten fresh, but it can be stored (let cool completely first), covered tightly with plastic wrap, for up to three days.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups (83/4 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 large very ripe bananas (21/4 pounds), peeled
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup packed (51/4 ounces) light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse (optional)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 81/2 by 41/2‑inch loaf pan with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.
2. Place 5 bananas in separate bowl, cover, and microwave until bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas to fine-mesh strainer over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes (you should have 1/2 to 3/4 cup liquid).
3. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until mostly smooth. Whisk in melted butter, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla.
4. Pour banana mixture into dry ingredients and stir until just combined, with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into 1/4‑inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of loaf in 2 rows, leaving 11/2‑inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.
5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 minutes to 11/4 hours, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let loaf cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and let cool for 1 hour before serving.