Monthly Archives: December 2020

Bananas were harmed in the making of this Banana Bread.

Banana Bread – Straight-up Betty Crocker recipe from the 1976 version of the Betty Crocker Cookbook. There doesn’t appear to be a publishing mark in the book, but this is the cookbook I bought for Peggy in Christmas of 1976, the year we were married. My mother had a Betty Crocker cookbook, and by gum, Peggy would have one, too. This is one well-used cookbook!

I thought I had a better photo…
  • 2 1/2 C All-purpose flour
  • 1 C granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 t baking POWDER (that’s 1 T, 1/2 t for those keeping score at home)
  • 1 t salt
  • 3 T salad oil (I used canola)
  • 3/4 C milk
  • 3 bananas, mashed up (about 1 C) [1]
  • 1 egg
  • 1 C chopped nuts (I used pecan)

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two small loaf pans (or one large loaf pan).

Let the mixer mash the bananas. Mixing slowly, add in the oil, egg, and milk. Add the sugar, nuts, and salt. Mix in the flour and baking powder, combining all well.

Divide batter evenly between the two pans. If you’re an annoying geek like me, you’ll use a kitchen scale to get the weights equal. To within 1/10 of an ounce. :).

Bake for 50 – 60 minutes, until a skewer or knife inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Please. Let it rest for a few minutes.

Enjoy!

[1] While the original recipe calls for 1 cup of mashed banana (about 2-3 medium), I find that there is no such thing as a medium banana. Also, as an engineer (and a damned Yankee), I don’t like waste, so I use three bananas. It’s about a cup. I know. Betty Crocker is rolling in her fictional grave.