Banana Bread

There’s nothing that says home like the smell of fresh-baked bread. Except, perhaps, when the baker takes it up a notch and the bread in the oven is banana bread.

Although it is bread, this delectable treat is in many ways more like a cake. The leavening agent in banana bread is typically baking soda instead of yeast. Also unlike regular bread, banana bread is baked from batter and not dough. And obviously, it includes bananas, generally mashed and put into the batter.

This family favorite has been around for decades. It first came into popularity in the 1930’s, and varieties of it have appeared in cookbooks ever since. Banana bread is relatively easy to make, and therefore popular among home bakers. It can often be found in the display cases of bakeries and coffee shops as well.

In addition to being tasty it is also versatile. It makes a great on-the-go breakfast item, either at home or grabbed at the coffee shop where the busy professional stops for his or her daily dose of java. Packed in a lunchbox, it makes a great ending to the afternoon meal, but is just as likely to be a warm after-school snack waiting when children climb off the bus. It can also serve as a last-minute dessert option when unexpected guests pop over and you find yourself whipping up a quick meal.

If whipped together before dinner and popped into the oven it makes a wonderful accompaniment to a relaxing cup of tea while watching evening television.

This homey treat is so versatile because it is sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. There is enough of a dessert-like texture and taste for it to serve as a sweet meal-ender. But its dessert like qualities are milder than overwhelming, and banana bread can be just as satisfying accompanying a meal or as a standalone quick breakfast with a cup of coffee or a glass of milk.

It is usually baked in loaf-shaped pans and can be cut into thin slices or larger wedges for serving. There are many variations on banana bread out there. Many families pass down banana bread recipes from generation to generation, and each will declare theirs the best. Perhaps the most common varieties are banana nut breads, which are made from standard banana bread recipes but include walnuts or pecans.

Actually there are many other types of fruit or even vegetable-based breads. Cranberry bread, cranberry banana bread, and zucchini bread are just a few examples. While these are also often-enjoyed treats, banana bread still seems to take the lead in terms of popularity.

For the holidays, why not give some homemade banana bread as a gift. Giving freshly baked goods as a gift to someone says something more than just buying a gift. It means that you spent extra time mixing the ingredients, baking the banana bread, letting it cool, and finally wrapping it for the special person.