Southern Banana Bread

from The Good Book of Southern Cooking by Kelly Fields

Note: even better than my James Beard banana bread! light and moist. Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

IMPORTANT NOTE: bring all refrigerated ingredients to room temperature before mixing

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pans
• 2 TBSP raw sugar for coating the pans
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsps baking soda
• 2 tsps kosher salt
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1 3/4 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 5)
• add chopped nuts if desired

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter two 9 x 5 loaf pans and add 1 tbsp raw sugar to each. Tilt the pans to coat with the sugar, tapping out the excess.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitter with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the butter, sour cream, and brown sugar on high speed, until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
• Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Beat in the vanilla.
• With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients.
• add the bananas and beat on medium speed for about 15 seconds, just until combined; don’t mix longer!
• Add nuts to mixture. Using a large rubber spatula, stir the batter a few times to fully incorporate the banana and nuts.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, depending on how hot your oven cooks! Rotate the pans after 25 minutes. Cook until the loaves are golden brown and springy to the touch.
• Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool slightly, then turn the loaves out of the pans and let cool completely before cutting.
• The loaves can be kept at room temperature, loosely wrapped in foil, for up to 4 days. Loaves can also be frozen for future use.