Banana bread, as the name says itself, is the bread made of bananas. We know how important are the bananas in our diet. They have a lot of vitamin B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9), vitamin C (good for brain health, help in collagen production, protects against cell and tissue damage), potassium (good for blood pressure and heart health), but also iron, magnesium, zinc, manganese (good for skin), phosphorus, and sodium. It is one of the best sources of B6 vitamin which helps to convert carbs and fats into energy, cleans liver and kidneys, helps to maintain a healthy nervous system, produces red blood cells, etc. Besides all of that, bananas also help digestion and the issues of heartburn and ulcers.

Bananas are a fantastic source of energy, before or after, or sometimes even during the activities, like long runs, playing tennis, etc. For that reason, it is well-known that banana bread is good for the heart and blood pressure. But, when it comes to banana bread, the trick is not to use too much sugar or to use some substitutes like stevia or honey.

Bananas as the fruit came into the United States in the 1870s. From the very beginning, they were a hit, and not a long time passed before they became a part of dessert recipes. Even today, the vast majority of households buy bananas on a regular basis.

History of banana bread

Banana bread, as the sweet bread, came up to the culinary scene in the 1930s. The reason for the banana bread becoming so popular is the invention of the baking powder and baking soda, the two raising agents. From then, they became widely available throughout the country. Before the baking powder and baking soda, the bread was made with pearlash. It was used in the 18th century in the United States and it was even exported to Europe. Amelia Simmons published recipes with pearlash in the cookbook "American Cookery" in 1796.

The recipe for banana bread made its first appearance in the Pillsbury’s cookbook named "Balanced Recipes" in 1933. But the recipe experienced wide popularity in 1950 when it appeared in "Chiquita Banana’s Recipe Book". The original recipe goes like this:

1/3 cup of shortening
2/3 cup of sugar
2 eggs - lightly beaten
1 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour - sifted
2 -3/4 tsp double-acting baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of mashed ripe Chiquita banana (2 to 3 bananas)

Instructions
1. Beat shortening until creamy and glossy, or 2 minutes at medium speed on the electric mixer. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy after each addition. Add eggs and beat until thick and pale lemon in color. Sift dry ingredients; add alternately with bananas; blend thoroughly after each addition.
2. Grease bottom only of a 4-1/2 x 8-1/2 x 3-inch loaf pan. Turn batter into pan. Bake in 350°F oven for 60 to 70 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean and dry.
3. Let bread partially cool in pan (20 to 30 minutes) before turning onto a rack. Makes 1 full loaf.

Is banana bread a cake?

Banana bread is usually called a quick bread because it is quick to make it. The reason for that is because it doesn't contain any yeast. It contains only baking powder. That made some experts claim that it is not bread at all. They say it is a cake because it is made with baking powder and it contains a lot of sugar. And, that the only reason why people call it bread is because of the way it is cut. It is cut into slices, whereas cakes are cut into wedges.

Different recipes in different eras

In the 1930s, the depression era, the banana bread had a little rough texture because of the wheat bran, and bulk filler. It had less sugar because there was a financial crisis. In the period of the Second World War, in the 1940s, it had a fine texture but it was plain. It used one egg, sour milk (or buttermilk), and no spices. The taste didn't change much in the 50s either. It was low on fat, sugar, and bananas. It also had no spices. In the 60s and 70s, some ingredients were slowly added like almond, coffee, vanilla, orange, sesame seeds, etc. So, the loaf was becoming tastier and moister. In the 1980s, it was made with 50% whole wheat flour and a lot of butter. In the past few decades, the accent was moved to the healthy part of the bread. So, people started making banana bread with less sugar and more bananas. They started to use brown sugar, jam, or honey to replace the regular sugar.

Nutrition Facts

A regular slice (about 60g) of banana bread contains about 200 calories, 6g of fat, 33g of carbs, and 3g of protein. Because the bananas contain a lot of vitamins and minerals, the banana bread is also rich in these. Therefore, the banana bread is great for heart health and blood pressure, but also getting energy and fiber from the right sources.

National Banana Bread Day

Delicious banana bread has its own day. The National Banana Bread Day is February 23rd.

Banana Bread Variations

Banana bread has a lot of variations that include different kinds of ingredients. Some of the most popular are - banana bread with raisins, different nuts, blueberry or chocolate chips, banana bread muffins, vegan versions of the banana bread that is egg-free, and dairy-free. But also many, many other ingredients are an addition to banana bread - Nutella, coconut, butterscotch, cinnamon, chocolate cookies, raspberry, bourbon, carrot, coffee, pineapple, cream cheese, zucchini, oatmeal, vanilla, peanut butter, etc.

Choose the right bananas

Despite all the different additional ingredients to banana bread, the most important one is, obviously, banana. So, you need to make sure to choose the best bananas for the bread. The best choice is - overripe bananas. The blacker, the better. It can never be too ripe. If you have overripe bananas that you don't need at the moment, feel free to freeze them (together with the skin). When you need them for banana bread, just let them thaw at the room temperature.