Mom's Banana Bread recipe

1 stick of butter

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 very ripe mashed bananas

1 tsp. vanilla (here's a link on how to make your own vanilla)

2 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 c. of chocolate chips

1/2 to 1 c. chopped nuts

1 cup unsweetened grated coconut

Shaved coconut for the top.

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Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar together. Then add eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Mix well. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt together and then add to the wet ingredients. Stir in (by hand) chocolate chips, coconut, nuts or whatever floats your boat! Pour everything into a greased cake pan. If you make 1 and a half times the recipe, you can use two loaf pans or one 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle with shaved coconut and chocolate chips if desired before baking.

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More Variations:

The James Beard recipe calls for 1/3 cup milk soured with1 tablespoon lemon juice (or you could use 1/3 cup buttermilk). Both Bootie and Bossy think this is a great addition as it makes the dough lighter and fluffier. Bossy also adds zest of a lemon.

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If you're feeling decadent, you can add a crumble topping before baking (this recipe is enough for a 9 x 13 pan):

2 T butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons flour

Mix together the above ingredients and sprinkle on the batter before baking.

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If you're feeling really decadent, you can frost the banana bread!

1 8 oz package cream cheese--softened to room temp

1 stick of butter--softened to room temp

1 tsp homemade vanilla or 1 tsp of fresh lemon juice and the zest of one lemon

2 c. powerdered sugar

Whip the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy, then add the vanilla or lemon juice and zest. Then add the powdered sugar and whip for a minute. If you like a pretty stiff frosting, you can add more powdered sugar--try 1/4 c. at a time until you get the desired consistency. A thicker and stiffer frosting is generally better for cupcakes.

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Many thanks to Layla Pujol of Laylita.com who suggested the coconut and baking it in a cake pan!

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