Brown Sugar Banana Bread

This brown sugar banana bread is moist and sweet; the banana flavor is big, but not cloying, thanks to the balancing hints of molasses from the brown sugar. Serve it for brunch with this lovely brown sugar glaze, or glam it up for a dinner party dessert by adding coconut flakes and bits of dark chocolate and topping it with whipped mascarpone.*

I should warn you, no matter which way you make it: the banana bread shrinks as it stands on your counter. No one will ‘fess up, but all day long, each and every one of them has cut just another little sliver and then another. If the bread lasts a full 24-hour period, you should just consider yourself lucky.

*To make whipped mascarpone: combine equal parts heavy cream and mascarpone in a chilled bowl and beat with a chilled whisk or whisk attachment. Add a tiny splash of vanilla and perhaps just a little confectioner’s sugar.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

I like banana bread best of all with this simple brown sugar glaze. Well, unless I am in the mood for nuts and coconut, or bits of dark chocolate…

2 cups all purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup brown sugar, divided

4 tablespoons room temperature butter

2 large eggs

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk, divided

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 softened bananas

½ cup confectioners sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350degrees. Coat a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.
3. Beat ¾ cup of the brown sugar and butter together with an electric mixer until well-blended. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating between additions. Add ½ cup of the buttermilk and vanilla; beat until well-blended. Beat in the banana. Add the flour mixture and beat at low speed until just evenly blended. Transfer to the prepared loaf pan and bake in the center of the oven 1 hour, until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, remove bread from pan and cool on a wire rack.
4. Meanwhile, make the glaze; whisk the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons buttermilk and confectioners sugar until smooth.
5. When the cake is cooled to room temperature, pour the glaze over the top, letting it run down the sides. Allow the glaze to cool and harden before serving.

Makes 12 slices

Nutrition for each serving: 244 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 4 g protein, 1.3 g fiber, 208 mg sodium