America’s Test Kitchen’s Banana Bread Recipe Is *Definitely* Extra, but Is It Worth the Fuss? (2024)

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America’s Test Kitchen’s Banana Bread Recipe Is *Definitely* Extra, but Is It Worth the Fuss? ›

America's Test Kitchen's banana bread is full of sweet banana flavor and capped with a crunchy crust that makes the extra effort almost worth it. In the end, the extra steps and dirty dishes make this recipe too complicated and time-consuming for me to consider making again.

You may find banana bread delicious, but conventional banana breads tend to be high in added sugar, refined carbs, and calories. Thus, it's best to enjoy banana bread occasionally as part of a balanced, nutrient-dense diet.

Ripe bananas are not only softer and easier to mash and blend into a batter, but they are also sweeter, which is why baking recipes specifically call for ripe bananas in ingredient lists. As the bananas ripen, the fruit converts starches to sugars, making them sweeter and more flavorful.

First, How Long Does Banana Bread Last? Wrapped well and stored at room temperature, banana bread will last about five days. If stored in the fridge, it should last a full week. A frozen loaf of banana bread will last up to a year in the freezer, wrapped well with storage wrap and aluminum foil.

Using too much butter makes for a heavier cake with less banana flavor. Using double the amount of butter that the recipe called for left me with a loaf that was dry on the outside and moist on the inside.

If black bananas are spotted with mold, then it's time to step away! You absolutely should not use them for banana bread or consume them at all.

Banana bread recipes typically ask you to use overripe bananas so that they're easier to mush. This means it's tempting to toss all your bananas into the mix when you're ready to bake, to avoid food waste. But if you add too much of the fruit into your batter, your bread could turn out mushy, heavy, and wet.

Brown, overripe bananas are sweeter because in the ripening process the starches in the banana are converted to sugar. You can even use super-soft, black bananas that have a really strong smell and are oozy inside. As long as they're not moldy, there's no such thing as too-ripe bananas for banana bread.

“Very ripe and overripe bananas are rich in flavor and antioxidants, which can help benefit our immune systems,” says Gabriel. “They also take less time to digest, which can be beneficial, depending on the person.” This phase is also where bananas become just right for adding sweetness and heft to smoothies and shakes.

In order to speed up the ripening process, all you need to do is trap the ethene gas in with the banana by putting them in a paper bag – fruit gives off moisture, so you must use a bag that won't trap moisture. Ripening in a bag usually takes a day or so, but can be as speedy as overnight – just keep checking.

Should banana bread be refrigerated after baking? ›

Le says refrigerating banana bread will inhibit the growth of mold that can occur at room temperature and will increase its shelf life by up to a week.

Never store it in the refrigerator. A refrigerator circulates cool air, which removes moisture and can prematurely dry breads and cakes. Place your cooled loaf on a plate and cover it in plastic wrap, or store it in an airtight container. Store it for up to four days on your counter.

The best way to store banana bread is at room temperature in an airtight container. Though it will only stay fresh for about four days on the counter, this will keep your banana bread tasting the freshest.

Some banana bread just isn't strong in banana flavor. This is especially true if you make the mistake of not using overly ripe bananas for your recipe.

If your banana bread doesn't taste like bananas, it could be that you didn't use bananas that were ripe enough. The flavour of a ripe banana is quite different than a green banana. Choose the ripest bananas possible. Some bakers recommend using bananas that are on the verge of over-ripe with completely black peels.

Using a lot of bananas adds excess moisture, and there are two ways to get rid of it. You could either add more flour or increase the baking time.

Healthier Fats: Many traditional bread recipes include unhealthy fats, such as saturated or trans fats, which can be detrimental to heart health. Banana bread can be prepared with healthier fat options, such as unsaturated fats from sources like nuts, seeds, or olive oil.

Even sight or smell of food triggers a response in the brain's reward system. All foods are not equal, however, with the strongest hedonic response for the combination of sugar and fat. We have innate preference for sweet foods, which elicit a response as potent as that triggered by cocaine.

First, the obvious: Bread usually doesn't have icing or frosting like cake often does. Then, the less obvious: Banana bread can incorporate heavier flours, like all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, while banana cake sometimes calls for pastry flour or cake flour, which is lighter.

Banana bread: This classic baked treat is easy to digest and can be made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Ginger snaps: Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that may help to soothe an upset stomach, and these cookies are easy to make and store well.