Banana Gingerbread Loaves

2 Loaves

• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp Kosher salt

• 2 Tbsp ground ginger

• 4 tsp cinnamon

• 2 medium oranges

• 7 medium-sized bananas – the riper the better!

• 1/3 cup buttermilk

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 ½ cup dark brown sugar

• 4 large eggs, room temperature

• 2 Tbsp dark molasses

• 2 tsp vanilla paste

• White sugar to sprinkle on the loaves before baking, about 2 Tbsp per loaf

1)     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

2)     Spray two 8-9” loaf pans with cooking spray and line with parchment paper

3)     In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger and cinnamon.  Zest both of the oranges into the dry mix and whisk again.

4)     In another medium bowl, mash (I use a potato masher) six of the bananas with the buttermilk and sour cream and the juice of one of the oranges. Save the one least ripe of the seven bananas to decorate the top of the loaves.

5)     In a standing mixer, cream the butter and the brown sugar.  When the mix is light and fluffy, slowly beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Once incorporated, slowly beat in the molasses and vanilla paste.

6)     With the mixer on low, add the banana mix.  Then add the dry mix, mixing until just combined and smooth.  Do not overbeat and add too much air – the loaves will overflow in your oven!

7)     Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans

8)     Slice the remaining banana into four full-length strips and lay two strips on each of the two loaves.  Sprinkle the sugar over the bananas and tops of the unbaked loaves

9)     Bake until a wooden skewer comes out clean.  This should take about one hour – but start testing at 50 minutes.

10)  Let the finished loaves cool in the pans on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes.