Banana Bread

This is my favourite way to use up bananas that have gone past their eating date. The best bananas for this recipe are very brown and speckled — or even completely brown. The uglier, the better.

This recipe makes one loaf and only uses one bowl, so cleanup is minimal.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add the melted coconut oil, vanilla, and egg. Mix until well combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir just until no flour remains visible.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
6. Remove from the oven and let the loaf cool in the pan on a cooling rack for at least 20 minutes.
7. Turn the loaf out of the pan and let it cool completely. This helps the inside set so it doesn't fall apart when sliced.

• My favourite way to eat banana bread is to toast a slice until the outside is crispy while the inside stays moist, then slather it with butter.
• You can swap the coconut oil for melted butter if you prefer.
• Freeze overripe bananas: peel them and store in a zip-top bag. They'll look unappealing when thawed, but they work perfectly in this recipe.
• Make it your own by adding mix-ins such as chocolate chips, nuts, or dried cranberries. You can also sprinkle a streusel topping on before baking — I keep a batch of streusel in the freezer for this. Find the recipe under Baking on this blog.

Store the cooled banana bread in a zip-top bag or airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days (though it never lasts more than 2 days in our house).

Freezing:Wrap whole loaves or individual slices well and freeze for 3–4 months. To freeze slices, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature and toast slices to revive the texture.

Divide the batter among the cups of a muffin tin and bake for 20–24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.