Daniela, Oh, I am so happy you liked the banana bread...thanks for the feedback! Always makes my day when someone likes a recipe I post. Thanks for stopping by...I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful and blessed day!
You mentioned that you like to add almond to this recipe. Do you use it in place of the vanilla extract, or in addition to? If in addition, how much to add? I love almond extract, too, and like any excuse to use it!
Lindsay, I usually like to add it in addition to the vanilla. If I don't have any vanilla, I will just use the almond. I usually add about 1/2 tsp of almond extract, If you really LOVE almond, you might want to add a little bit more than 1/2 tsp. I use an almond emulsion, so I am not sure if it is stronger/milder in flavor than a normal extract. Hope that helps.~Ellie
Hi Ellie I've just made this bread and is fantastic!!! My first attempt to bake a banana bread and it came out perfectly! thanks a lot for this recipe...also for the foolproof mayo! I made the mayo entirely by hand ...the old fashion way and it was delicious in my beef salad! My husband is a happy camper! I'll try the "mititei" next as soon as I gather all the goodies :)...I've been looking for a good recipe for this famous Romanian sausage (my husband keeps asking for them!)...so , I'll keep in touch! thanks again!
Marie, Thanks for stopping by...I am thrilled that you enjoyed the banana bread. It is my husband's favorite! I make it for him all the time:). It's wonderful that you made the mayo the old fashioned way:).Glad you enjoyed it... I'm hoping the mititei will be a success as well... they do take a bit of work, but I'm hoping you and your husband will like them. Again, thanks for sharing your feedback...I really appreciate it!
Hi Ellie, I love your recipes. I am German married to a Ukrainian Canadian living in Vancouver and had a Romanian Great Grandfather, so we love all your food. I made your banana bread recipe and wouldn't you know the one not European recipe I try failed. I followed your instructions and it looked like the pictures but came out what we call in German "speckig". I think it means lardy tight not fluffy or risen well. I have no idea what happened, it still tastes ok but not great and looks awful. Can you help me, I would like to try again? Thank you so much for all your great recipes and this awesome blog, Diana
Hi Diana, Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comment:)! I am so glad you are enjoying some of the Romanian recipes... but, boy, I am sad to hear that you had trouble with the Starbucks Banana Bread recipe of all things... it is our favorite, and I make it a lot! But you know, sometimes the simplest of recipes can give me trouble, so I understand:)!
Now, I can only guess what could have gone wrong, as I wasn't there with you... wish I were so we could troubleshoot this together:). But having said this, I'll try my best to figure what could have gone wrong... because I do want you to try it again:). By the way, the original recipe came straight from Starbucks... so it's been tried for the public. Anyway, here are my ideas:
1) You simply forgot to add the baking soda. 2) You forgot to add the buttermilk(or milk and lemon juice alternative)... which activates the baking soda. 3) You over mixed the batter at the end.... can cause too much of the gluten to from. 4) After mixing the batter, you let it sit out too much before baking... when working with baking soda and an acid it reacts instantly, so the batter needs to be put in the oven quickly, otherwise the leavening reaction will fizzle down and you'll get a flatter bread than normal.
These are some points that I can think of right now, I am assuming the temperature for the oven was ok.
Now, I have to say banana breads in general aren't fluffy like a cake. They take on more of a moist dense/compact texture... though it's still tender and risen. And I am not sure if you made the banana bread as per original... or with less sugar as I do nowadays? You might want to make the original as for your next try... I am hoping you will have great success with it! Please let me now how it goes for you...as I sure want you to have success:).
Hope this helps a bit... and I really appreciate your kind words.
December 4, 2012 at 6:56 AM
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Starbucks Banana Bread... Banana bread recipes abound...all sorts of variations. But I thought I would make this version, since I had so many frozen bananas. With the rest of the frozen bananas, I ended up making some healthier banana muffins....a new post soon:). The bananas really needed to be used up. Frozen bananas.... somehow, they always make it in some sort of bread recipe.
You know, this recipe was really, really good....actually it is an absolute favorite! Moist and flavorful, the way I like it. It comes together rather quickly, not a fussy recipe at all. Plus, the bananas get used up. I like that. Try adding some extra flavoring to make it unique. I like to add a bit of almond flavor to mine. It sort of goes with all the added nuts. Purely optional, though. And, as with all banana breads, they are best eaten the second day. The flavors fully develop and the bread becomes quite moist. Much, much better.
You could likewise freeze the bread. ...which is what I do. It is always good to have some on hand...for unexpected guests, the next potluck, or for those days that you want something to go along with your cup of tea or coffee.
You can also make Banana Nut muffins... just bake in a muffin tin for 24-25 minutes... or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 12 muffins. Hope you enjoy...
Update: I no longer use the whole amount of sugar... have cut the sugar amount to 3/4 cup....though I think 2/3 cup will work just as well. Also, I now most always use half whole wheat flour...though sometimes I will make it with 100% whole wheat... or half oatmeal flour( finely ground oats) and half whole wheat/ spelt flour. I also use extra-light olive oil...
Note: This recipe can easily be made into a wonderful pumpkin/winter squash bread. I normally make it with white whole wheat/spelt or half whole wheat /white flour. I substitute the mashed bananas for 1 cup cooked and mashed canned pumpkin(or winter squash that has been baked till soft, and then pureed)... with this particular recipe the sugar needs to be increased to about 1 cup and spices added. I normally add 1 tsp pumpkin spice and 2 tsps cinnamon. I quickly snapped a picture of our last slice so I could show you the winter squash variation....with no nuts.
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Starbucks Banana Bread Recipe as per original recipe below. You will need:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 ⁄4 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1 ⁄8 cups sugar
1 ⁄2 cup vegetable oil
2 TBS buttermilk*
1 ⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
3 ripe medium-large bananas (mashed)
1 ⁄2 cup + 1 ⁄3 cup chopped walnuts
* I just use plain whole milk with 2-3 tsps lemon juice, let it sit until curdled, and use it in place of the buttermilk Directions:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 325.˚F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan...I like to use parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Blend together the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside.
3. Mix together the egg, sugar, and oil until combined. Add to the flour mixture. [Image]
4. When blended, add the buttermilk, vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until combined. [Image]
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5. Fold in 1 ⁄2 cup chopped walnuts and pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
6. Top batter with remaining 1 ⁄3 cup chopped walnuts. [Image]
7. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.
8. Dust with some powdered sugar for some elegance.
9. Banana bread always tastes better the next day....just wrap it up...or freeze.
"Starbucks Banana Bread...an absolute favorite!"
10 Comments -
Very tempting....
January 29, 2010 at 10:32 PM
Thanks Sailaja...it's a really easy recipe.~Ellie
January 31, 2010 at 11:57 AM
Ellie, I made a couple of loaves yesterday and they were sooooooo good!!! Thanks so much for sharing your wonderful recipes! God bless you!
February 2, 2010 at 12:22 PM
Daniela,
Oh, I am so happy you liked the banana bread...thanks for the feedback! Always makes my day when someone likes a recipe I post. Thanks for stopping by...I really appreciate it. Have a wonderful and blessed day!
February 3, 2010 at 8:09 AM
You mentioned that you like to add almond to this recipe. Do you use it in place of the vanilla extract, or in addition to? If in addition, how much to add? I love almond extract, too, and like any excuse to use it!
March 17, 2010 at 6:44 PM
Lindsay, I usually like to add it in addition to the vanilla. If I don't have any vanilla, I will just use the almond. I usually add about 1/2 tsp of almond extract, If you really LOVE almond, you might want to add a little bit more than 1/2 tsp. I use an almond emulsion, so I am not sure if it is stronger/milder in flavor than a normal extract. Hope that helps.~Ellie
March 17, 2010 at 6:58 PM
Hi Ellie
I've just made this bread and is fantastic!!! My first attempt to bake a banana bread and it came out perfectly! thanks a lot for this recipe...also for the foolproof mayo! I made the mayo entirely by hand ...the old fashion way and it was delicious in my beef salad! My husband is a happy camper! I'll try the "mititei" next as soon as I gather all the goodies :)...I've been looking for a good recipe for this famous Romanian sausage (my husband keeps asking for them!)...so , I'll keep in touch! thanks again!
January 22, 2012 at 2:09 PM
Marie, Thanks for stopping by...I am thrilled that you enjoyed the banana bread. It is my husband's favorite! I make it for him all the time:).
It's wonderful that you made the mayo the old fashioned way:).Glad you enjoyed it...
I'm hoping the mititei will be a success as well... they do take a bit of work, but I'm hoping you and your husband will like them.
Again, thanks for sharing your feedback...I really appreciate it!
January 22, 2012 at 6:26 PM
Hi Ellie, I love your recipes. I am German married to a Ukrainian Canadian living in Vancouver and had a Romanian Great Grandfather, so we love all your food. I made your banana bread recipe and wouldn't you know the one not European recipe I try failed. I followed your instructions and it looked like the pictures but came out what we call in German "speckig". I think it means lardy tight not fluffy or risen well. I have no idea what happened, it still tastes ok but not great and looks awful. Can you help me, I would like to try again? Thank you so much for all your great recipes and this awesome blog, Diana
December 4, 2012 at 12:06 AM
Hi Diana, Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet comment:)! I am so glad you are enjoying some of the Romanian recipes... but, boy, I am sad to hear that you had trouble with the Starbucks Banana Bread recipe of all things... it is our favorite, and I make it a lot! But you know, sometimes the simplest of recipes can give me trouble, so I understand:)!
Now, I can only guess what could have gone wrong, as I wasn't there with you... wish I were so we could troubleshoot this together:). But having said this, I'll try my best to figure what could have gone wrong... because I do want you to try it again:). By the way, the original recipe came straight from Starbucks... so it's been tried for the public. Anyway, here are my ideas:
1) You simply forgot to add the baking soda.
2) You forgot to add the buttermilk(or milk and lemon juice alternative)... which activates the baking soda.
3) You over mixed the batter at the end.... can cause too much of the gluten to from.
4) After mixing the batter, you let it sit out too much before baking... when working with baking soda and an acid it reacts instantly, so the batter needs to be put in the oven quickly, otherwise the leavening reaction will fizzle down and you'll get a flatter bread than normal.
These are some points that I can think of right now, I am assuming the temperature for the oven was ok.
Now, I have to say banana breads in general aren't fluffy like a cake. They take on more of a moist dense/compact texture... though it's still tender and risen. And I am not sure if you made the banana bread as per original... or with less sugar as I do nowadays? You might want to make the original as for your next try... I am hoping you will have great success with it! Please let me now how it goes for you...as I sure want you to have success:).
Hope this helps a bit... and I really appreciate your kind words.
December 4, 2012 at 6:56 AM