When you have bananas that are too ripe for eating out of hand, give them a second chance in banana bread with a cream cheese frosting.
My son’s school had something called “Second Chance Breakfast” for students who either didn’t have time for breakfast at home or were hungry at mid-morning break. Spane coined many second-chance items in our house: dry food for the cat became “Second Chance Cat Food,” etc.
Spane and I like bananas, especially when they are ripe, firm, and might still be a little green. I even have a *banana-slicing tool from Chef’n, which makes slicing them a snap. Still, it’s hard for us to get through a small bunch of bananas without one or two going brown. Sure enough, one had gone brown, and we knew it was destined for banana bread.
I call it Second-Chance Banana Bread
Well, it’s a second chance for the banana itself. I made it one night, I was very tired and fell asleep waiting for it to finish baking. When I woke up, the house smelled of burnt sugar. The whole loaf was black on top. A little bit in the center had not burned, and we ate that. It was so good that my friend Maria gave me three ripened bananas so I could make a second loaf – and not burn it.
Bananas and Avocado
If you have gone to the market and have only been able to find rock-hard avocados, I have a trick for you. Bananas give off ethylene gas, ripening other fruits and vegetables nearby. I usually buy one banana for every two avocados. My avocados are ripe within 24 hours, and I have a banana or two to make second-change banana bread!
Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This recipe is from The American Woman’s Cookbook, my oldest and most used cookbook. The original recipe calls for nut meats and shortening and does not include frosting. I don’t like nuts in cake/bread, I don’t like shortening, and I really like cream cheese frosting, so here’s my recipe.
This banana bread is wonderful warm with a
Email Me the Recipe
Banana Bread With Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
If you purchase any of the products through these affiliate links, I get a few pennies that help keep The Good Plate open. I use these products myself and want you to be able to easily find them.
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mashed banana
- 2 eggs yolks
- 2 cups flour, sifted
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 egg whites
Frosting
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ¾ package cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons lemon juice
Instructions
Banana Bread
- Mise en Place
- Preheat oven to 350 °F (177 °C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
- 1/2 cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 2 eggs yolksIn a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the two egg yolks and beat.
- 1 cup mashed bananaAdd the banana, and beat.
- 2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon saltSift the flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to the mixture to the batter slowly while beating on low-speed.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juiceWhen all the flour has been added, increase the speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice and beat for one more minute.
- 2 egg whitesBeat the egg whites with an egg beater in a separate bowl until they form medium peaks.
- Fold the whites into the mixture and stir lightly until no white marks remain.
- Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the loaf pan.
- When the cake is cool, remove it from the pan for frosting.
Frosting
- Mise en place
- 1/4 cup butter, 3/4 package cream cheeseIn a clean stand mixer bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together.
- 1 cup powdered sugarSlowly add the powdered sugar.
- 1 teaspoons lemon juiceContinue beating, and add the lemon juice.
- If the mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar, if it’s too thick, add more milk.
- Frost the cooled loaf on the top and sides,
I loved this recipe as much as I loved my grandmother’s recipe. I remember having this as a kid. I’m allergic to nuts and it’s really great finding a recipe that doesn’t insist on adding nuts. Thank you!
You are in the right spot if you want a good recipe for Banana Bread. I don’t like it when it’s too sweet, and this banana bread was just the ticket. It also doesn’t have nut. I’m allergic to nuts and it’s hard to find a recipe without them. Thanks for this!
I’m going to make this, it looks great! Cheers!
Wow! I can really dig this.