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This Old Fashioned Banana Bread is light, tender and moist. The lemon zest gives it a bright, citrus flavor that is a wonderful departure from the usual cinnamon!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread Sliced in Vintage Loaf Pan

Ahhhh the eternal problem: what to do with the ubiquitous over-ripe bananas? I freeze them for smoothies; I dip them in chocolate and then freeze them for an instant dessert; and I throw them in muffin batter for a nutritious snack. If they’re still in good shape, whip up some banana pudding! Then there comes a moment when my freezer fills up and I am kicking myself for buying so many bananas! And that is the time when banana bread comes to the rescue as a delicious gift from the Kitchen Gods.

In the Fall I switch from this moist banana bread recipe to my pumpkin bread recipe. It is just as moist and better than Starbucks!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread Sliced on wood board
pumpkin bread slices wooden board on marble counter.
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I found this banana bread recipe in the American Heritage Cookbook, and I was intrigued by the addition of sour cream and grated lemon rind. The sour cream made it extra moist and the lemon rind gave it a bright Summer-y flavor. It was a wonderful departure from the usual banana bread recipes!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread strawberry jam and mascarpone

I tasted the batter and let’s just say, if you chose to eat the batter and forgo the baking, I wouldn’t judge!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread Sliced crumb detail

I also mixed a little ricotta and honey for a sweet, refreshing spread, and then topped it all off with some of my Quick Strawberry Jam! It’s amazing fresh from the oven or eaten with a few accoutrements the following few days!

Old Fashioned Banana Bread strawberry jam and mascarpone broken
Old Fashioned Banana Bread Sliced on wood board
5 from 1 ratings

Old Fashioned Banana Bread

This Old Fashioned Banana Bread is light, tender and moist. The lemon zest gives it a bright, citrus flavor that is a wonderful departure from the usual cinnamon!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 50 minutes
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 people

Ingredients 
 

For the Banana Bread:

Honey Ricotta Spread:

  • ¼ cup Ricotta part-skim or whole
  • 1 tbsp Honey or more to taste
Makes: 9 x 5inch rectangle

Instructions 

Make the Banana Bread:

  • Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour a regular loaf pan. I rub a generous amount of butter around every inch of the pan and then spoon approximately a tablespoon of flour into the pan. I then tip the pan and tap to distribute the flour. Rotate pan and tap. Continue until there is a light coating of flour on every surface.
  • Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl. Set aside. Mash bananas in a small bowl and set aside. Grate the peel of half a lemon. Be extremely careful not to get any of the bitter white pith. It will ruin the taste of your bread and we don’t want that! I am probably overly cautious and would rather use more of the lemon than risk bitter bread.
  • Grate the peel of half a lemon. Be extremely careful not to get any of the bitter white pith. Combine with the sugar to allow the oils to begin to infuse the sugar.
  • AHC instructs us to “work butter until soft, then work in sugar, a little at a time, until smooth.” I took this to mean mash the butter around the bowl with the back of a wooden spoon until malleable and then gradually add in sugar while continuing to mash it into the butter with the back of a wooden spoon.
  • Beat in eggs (by hand with your wooden spoon), one at a time, add the vanilla, grated lemon rind, and mashed bananas.
  • Stir in flour mixture alternately with sour cream. I did my usual three additions ending with sour cream. Mix in nuts being careful not to over mix.
  • Pour into a large prepared loaf pan or two mini pans and bake in preheated oven until toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few clinging crumbs. The large loaf should take 45 minutes to 1 hour, while the little ones will take 25 – 35 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in pans and then remove to cool completely on a rack.

Honey Ricotta Spread:

  • Whisk together honey and ricotta. For a completely smooth spread, you will need to pulse in a food processor or using a hand held immersion blender. I didn't for the photos and it is just as delicious.

Notes

American Heritage Cookbook
I have made this bread with a hand mixer and the batter had a tendency to curdle. It is best to mix it by hand and also very fast! 

Nutrition

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 277mg | Potassium: 166mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 449IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 2mg
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 375
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Hi, I’m Chef Lindsey!

I am the baker, recipe developer, writer, and photographer behind Chef Lindsey Farr. I believe in delicious homemade food and the power of dessert!

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