JULIA’s BEST BANANA BREAD

REPOSTED (This recipe is in my top three favorites for banana bread):

Bon Appetit magazine has an article by actor Andrew McCarthy about a return visit to Maui, where he lived for several years.  He talks about various banana breads that are available on the island but decides that the one he likes best is available near the settlement of Kahakuloa at a roadside stand called Julia’s.  It is dark in color, sticky and moist, also spongy and dense.  I made this recipe the other night and I do like it a lot but next time I will cut back on 1/2 cup of sugar as it’s very sweet.  The lesser amount of sugar may make for a less sticky bread, but I don’t think it will make any difference in the taste.  Julia developed this recipe herself, starting with a recipe from a cookbook and a whole lot of over ripe bananas.

JULIA’s BEST BANANA BREAD

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1-1/2 cups sugar (I plan to cut back to one cup next time I try this recipe)

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)

3/4 cup vegetable oil.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan with nonstick spray.  Whisk flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk eggs, sugar, bananas and oil in another bowl until smooth.  Add dry ingredients to banana mixture and stir just until combined.  Scrape batter into prepare pan and smooth top.

Bake until tester in center comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.  Transfer to a wire rack, let cool in pan 15 minutes.  Run a knife around edges to release bread.  Turn out onto a rack and let cool completely.

Can be made 3 days ahead and stored in airtight container at room temperature or in refrigerator.