Yum! Banana Bread

Here is my favorite thing to make!  I love that the preparation time is long enough to enjoy, but not annoying or complicated, busy enough yet mindless too.  Perfect baking combination!  Plus, the final product is SO good it’s gone in literally three or four days… maybe five if you’re slow.  Plus, it works for any meal… breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a snack!

Banana Bread
5 T butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 t. whites
1 t. vanilla
1 ½ cup mashed bananas
1 ¾ cup flour
1 t. soda
½ t. salt
¼ t. baking powder
½ cup heavy cream (some recipes don’t include this…but I like to think it adds that something extra that makes this recipe extra good.  Though this is usually the only ingredient that needs to be planned)

NOTE: These are REALLY good with white chocolate and many people like them with chocolate too.  Estimate how much you want in there.

1.    Preheat oven to 350.  Spray the bottom of the loaf pans (2 reg. or 4 small).
2.    Beat butter in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add sugar and brown sugar.  Beat well.  Add egg, egg whites, and vanilla.  Beat until well blended.  Add mashed bananas.  Beat on high 30 sec.
3.    Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder.  Add this flour mixture to butter mixture alternately w/cream.  End with flour mixture.
4.    Pour the batter evenly into the loaf pan.  Bake until brown, toothpick inserted in center will come out clean.  Baking times: Larger Loaf pan—1 hour 15 minutes.  Smaller Loaf pan—45 minutes.  (I don’t know if I buy these times… each oven is different and I usually find it needs more time).
5.    Cool on wire rack in pan.  Remove from pan after 10 minutes.  Cool completely on wire rack.  (Nah, go ahead and eat some after the first 10 minutes… YUM!)