BANANA BREAD COCKAIGNE
One 9 × 5-inch loaf
This is Marion Becker’s banana bread, and we think it is just about perfect.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan.
Whisk together in a medium bowl:
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Beat in a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed, until creamy:
- ⅔ cup (130g) sugar
- ⅓ cup vegetable shortening (65g) or 6 tablespoons (3 oz or 85g) unsalted butter, softened
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Beat in:
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3)
Add the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. If desired, fold in:
- (½ cup chopped toasted walnuts)
- (¼ cup finely chopped dried apricots or candied ginger)
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a rack, then turn out onto the rack to cool completely.