banana nana bo banna

I have to thank Deb at smittenkitchen.com for helping make my first baking experience in my new oven such a huge success. I made her "Jacked-Up Banana Bread" on Friday morning and let me just tell you it smelled so good that I had to restrain myself from opening the oven and eating the half baked bread with a spoon!

I did hold out and, even waited for Sean to get home before I cut into it. And it was DEVINE! I cannot believe I've never made banana bread before. I think the only thing that might make this better is some chopped walnuts, but since those are poison to my husband they will be continue to be left out of my jacked up banana bread.

I usually don't do this, since the recipe is very clear over at smittenkitchen.com, but its so good you should make this right now without jumping pages. But while its baking promise me you'll stop over to smittenkitchen.com and leave a note! my comments in RED.

3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed *felt really silly buying brown bananas at the store but I wanted this so bad!
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 to 1 cup light brown sugar *why hold back? I used the whole cup!
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla *used the bean paste... goooooooooood stuff
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional) *I used Jacked Daniels, and personally think it could handle a little more
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg *didn't have any of this so I left it out.
Pinch of ground cloves *and added a little bit more of this
1 1/2 cup of flour

Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.

Okay, not only have I never made banana bread, but I'd never made bread period... other than my mom's bread machine forever ago. And it seems like most loaf recipes call for a 4x8 loaf pan. For some strange reason, I only had a 5x9 inch loaf pan. It was close enough. the loaf might have been a little bit short, but it baked perfectly without adjusting the time.