Banana Bread x 2 = Happiness! :-)

I just love banana bread!  Actually I just LOVE anything baked with bananas.  I always get excited when I discover a couple of ripe bananas.  This means I get to challenge myself to find a new "banana baked goodie" recipe.  I have found wonderful recipes for banana bread.   I have also found a fabulous recipe for Banana Coffee Cake.  Cupcakes are fun to make too with bananas.  Like the Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting I have made.  My most recent banana recipe discovery has granted me with TWO great recipes for banana bread.  One that show cases the combo of raisins and bananas along with combining white and whole wheat flour in the batter (Banana Raisin Bread) and then the next recipe is SWEET and super pretty with a nice light yellow color of a bread (Buttery Blonde Banana Bread). 

Try these two recipes out and let me know which one you liked best.  For that fact share with me some of your favorite "banana baked goodie" recipes....I can never have enough!

I liked the Banana Raisin Bread because it was not only full in banana flavor but also had a nice chewy texture.  I loved having slices of it with good natural PB...yum! I felt like I was doing my "healthy deed" of the day by eating this bread. :-)

Banana Raisin Bread

(recipe from Cooking During Stolen Moments)

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter, melted

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup (2 medium) mashed ripe bananas

3 Tbsp milk

1 cup AP flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

 1/2 (heaping) cup raisins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

2. Cream together butter and sugar for 5 minutes.  Add in eggs and vanilla extract - mix well all together.  Add in mashed bananas and milk - again, mix well all together.

3. In a medium bowl combine flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  Slowly add in flour mixture to the banana mixture.  Stir in raisins.

4. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Cool, slice,serve and enjoy!

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The next banana bread recipe is sweeter than the Banana Raisin Bread.  It definitely reminds me of a Blonde Brownie as it is has a soft light yellow color and has a wonderfully comforting taste about it similar to such a brownie.  All you need is a nice hot cup of tea along side a slice of this bread and you've got a perfect afternoon snack.

Buttery Blonde Banana Bread
(recipe from the fabulous Jaime @ Jaime Cook's it Up!)
Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 cup (2-3 bananas) mashed bananas

4 Tbsp buttermilk

1 3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

dash of baking soda (that's right a dash)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

2. Cream together butter and sugar.

3. Add in eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and sugar.

4. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl and then add to banana mixture.  Mix just until combined - you don't want to overmix this batter.

5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 55-60 minutes.  Cool, slice, serve and ENJOY!

Happy Banana Raisin Bread and Buttery Blonde Banana Bread Baking!