A simple banana bread recipe, with a twist. This is adapted from a Smitten Kitchen recipe.

The original is a one-bowl kind of operation. Since I have a mixer and am lazy, I prefer to do it in the mixer and be a little more complex.

Ingredients and Tools

• 3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed
• 1/3 cup salted butter, room temp
• 1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Pinch of ground cloves
• 1 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 loaf pan or 2 mini-loaf pans

Mixer version:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Butter pan(s)
3. Cream the butter with the sugar in mixer for 3 minutes while you get everything else together.
4. Mash bananas with potato masher in separate bowl.
5. Mix in banana, egg, vanilla, burbon, then spices.
6. While mixing, sprinkle baking soda and salt. Mix in. Then sing Devo-like song “Mix it. Mix it good!” … Or not.
7. Slowly add flour in a half cup at a time, until just combined.
8. Pour batter into 2 mini-loaf pans, or one large pan.
9. Bake for 35-45 minutes (45-55 in loaf pan), depending on whether you have a really annoying oven that turns off at random times. It should take about 40 minutes for the minis, 50 for the larger pan. It’s always best to check 5 min before, just in case.
10. Cool on rack for 10 minutes or so.
11. Slice, serve, praise.

One-bowl version (from Smitten Kitchen)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Melt butter.
3. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.
4. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla and bourbon, then the spices.
5. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.
6. Add the flour last, mix.
7. Pour mixture into a buttered 4×8 inch loaf pan. Or two mini-loaf pans.
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean.
9. Cool on a rack.
10. Remove from pan and slice to serve.