Raspberry Sherbet Ninja Creami
This is the banana bread I bake when that happens. I've tested it more times than I can count to get the crumb just right: tender, rich, and laced with deep banana flavor.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch Loaf Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Fork
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Wire rack
- Instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas very ripe, about 1½ cups mashed (roughly 350g with the peel on)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly (1 stick / 8 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar plus turbinado sugar for topping, if desired
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment paper that overhangs on both long sides — that becomes your handle for lifting the loaf out cleanly.
- Mash the bananas. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, leaving a few pea-sized chunks for texture. You should hear a soft, squishy rhythm as the fruit gives way. You want 1½ cups total.
- Add the fat and sugar. Whisk in the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture looks glossy, thick, and fully combined. Stop as soon as it does — you're not making a mousse.
- Sift the dry ingredients over the wet. Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt across the top. Fold gently with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and corners as you go, until just a few flour streaks remain. Don't worry if the batter looks looser than you expect — that's a good sign, not a mistake.
- Scrape into the pan. Smooth the top with a spatula and, if you like, sprinkle turbinado sugar over the surface. It will bake into a crisp, golden crackle that shatters when you slice.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through so the loaf browns evenly. The bread is done when a skewer inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, or when an instant-read thermometer registers 200°F to 205°F (93°C to 96°C) in the middle.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment and let it cool completely on a wire rack. I know it's tempting to cut into that golden loaf while it's steaming. Let it rest; the crumb sets properly as it cools, and the flavors have a chance to settle into something deeper.