When I was around the age of 10, my parents gave me a cookbook for Christmas called Kids Can Cook! – a sign that I started my cooking obsession at a young age. The cookbook had lots of great, simple recipes that I loved to make, especially the banana bread recipe… but unfortunately, somewhere along the way it got lost. Not all was lost, however: thankfully, I had typed out this recipe for banana bread.
In grade 10, my homeform teacher decided we should do class breakfasts on the two mornings a week we had homeroom. This idea was to encourage the importance of eating a healthy, balanced breakfast every morning. With a partner of our choosing, we got assigned a date when it would be our morning to bring in breakfast. Montreal style or Gryfe bagels with cream cheese, a selection of fruit and Tropicana orange juice was probably the most popular breakfast option – but when my turn rolled around, I, in typical me fashion, wanted to bake something for the class. (Note: This was at a time before schools were so strict about nut free regulations, so home baked goods were allowed). So I brought in this classic, one of my favourites that I had been baking since I first received Kids Can Cook: chocolate chip banana bread. It was a hit, and my homeform teacher asked me for the recipe. So I typed it up to give to him. Now, thanks to that teacher I still have the recipe saved, while I no longer have the cookbook, Kids Can Cook!
This recipe came with my to university as well. In my second and third years at Queen’s, I lived in a seven person house, with six other girls. Our oven in that house was ancient, and rather small, but it still got the trick done, and I loved to bake for the house. This banana bread was a fast favourite – and I quickly discovered that one loaf, freshly out of the oven, divided by seven girls equals a remainder of just a few crumbs. So, I adapted and chose to double the recipe when I baked the banana bread. This meant we could have 2 loaves: one for immediate consumption, and the second that may last a day, or two, if we were lucky…
This banana bread has simple ingredients (sugar, butter, bananas, flour, chocolate chips, etc...) and the dash of cinnamon very nicely compliments the banana flavour. It is easy and quick to prepare and will fill your kitchen with an amazing smell while it bakes for an hour. Really, your oven does most of the work (timewise, at least) with this recipe!
½ cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
3 ripe bananas (I only use 2, unless they are small)
2 cups all purpose flour (I use 1 cup regular and 1 cup whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ salt
¾ to 1 cup chocolate chips
1. Heat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC). Grease loaf pan.
2. In medium bowl, combine butter and sugar. Cream together with wooden spoon until smooth. (This is word-for-word from Kids Can Cook! - since I like to use my stand mixer for just about anything I bake, I cream the butter and sugar together… if you are cooking with a child and want to avoid using an electric mixer, by all means, cream the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon – or maybe you prefer to use a wooden spoon! Totally up to you!)
3. Add the egg. Mix well. (Or in my case, blend in the egg)
4. Mash bananas and add to other ingredients in the bowl. Stir together.
5. In separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
6. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Stir thoroughly. (Blend in with mixer, if using)
7. Add the chocolate chips. Stir.
8. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Baking time will depend on your oven, but when the loaf is finished, the edges will be golden brown and a toothpick (or fork) inserted in the centre of the loaf will come out clean.
9. Wait for the loaf to cool a few minutes before consumption – this may be easier said than done because it's going to smell delicious!
If you are part of the 1% who doesn’t like chocolate, try making it without the chocolate chips – I’ll try not to judge you, too much…
I like to keep bananas on hand in the freezer so that when the mood hits, I can bake my favourite loaf: chocolate chip banana bread. Try it, you’ll love it, and if you’re anything like me, this recipe may just stick with you for a long, long time… Thank you, Kids Can Cook! (Lost, but never forgotten).
A note about defrosting bananas: I like to defrost mine by running hot water over them in the sink. The peel will be a bit messy coming off, but I find it is best if the bananas are still partially frozen inside (so they’re not too mushy) and then I mash them and add them in.
Happy Eating!
Caroline
bring back purple hair mascara!!
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