Mixed Berry Banana Bread

Mixed Berry Banana Bread

Ingredients

·         2 cupsall-purpose flour

·         3/4 cupsugar

·         1 teaspoonbaking soda

·         1/2 teaspoonsalt

·         3very ripe, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)

·         1/4 cupbuttermilk

·         2large eggs, lightly beaten

·         1/4 cupvegetable oil

·         2 teaspoonsvanilla extract

·         1 cupmixed berries, such as raspberries, blueberries or blackberries

    

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9-inch loaf pan with parchment then grease the parchment with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt. Set the mixture aside.

In a separate medium bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil and vanilla extract.

Lightly stir the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula just the batter looks thick and chunky. Add the berries and fold just until combined then scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Sprinkle the top of the batter with a generous amount of sanding sugar (optional) then bake the bread for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

Kelly's Notes:

Extra-ripe bananas are the key to the most moist, flavorful banana bread. Don't be afraid to let bananas turn completely brown before using them for banana bread.

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, you can make a quick version using whole milk and lemon juice or white vinegar. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and then pour in the milk until it reaches the 1-cup mark. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then use 1/4 cup for this recipe and save the rest for another use.