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Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Four ripe bananas mash to about a cup and a half, then blend with a third cup of buttermilk, one whole egg plus two egg whites, three tablespoons of oil, and half a cup of packed brown sugar. Two cups of white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a quarter teaspoon of cinnamon fold in without overmixing. The loaf bakes for about 80 minutes and yields eight slices with a firm, slightly dense crumb — the buttermilk tang keeping the sweetness of four bananas in check.
Equipment
- Oven
- Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 large egg
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed (1½ cups)
- ⅓ cup low-fat (1%) buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- 2Whisk the white whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon together in a medium bowl. This ensures the leavening agents distribute evenly for a uniform rise.
- 3Beat the brown sugar, egg whites, and whole egg in a large bowl using a mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture nearly doubles in volume. Lower the speed to medium and blend in the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vegetable oil until smooth.
- 4Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing here develops too much gluten, which leads to a tough loaf.
- 5Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface into an even layer. Bake for 1 hour, checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center to see if it comes out clean.
- 6Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn the loaf out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the cooled bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze it for up to 1 month.
- Ingredient spotlight: White whole wheat flour offers the same fiber as traditional whole wheat but yields a softer, lighter texture that works beautifully in baked goods.
- Tip: Use bananas that are heavily speckled with brown or entirely black. They mash easier and provide much more natural sweetness than yellow bananas.
Recipe Details
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