It seems like we have a banana in every bunch we buy that gets over ripe before we use it. I used to put them in the freezer until I had two or three and then make a banana bread, banana pancakes or banana cake from scratch and try to use the ripe bananas so as to not be wasteful. In a hurry one day I grabbed a plain white cake mix out of the pantry and instead of following the directions I mashed up 2 ripe bananas, put in three eggs and a 1/3 cup of oil. I stirred in the cake mix and started to add the water called for on the box, but when I looked at the bowl the density looked just right for banana bread. I have since made some with the water and it makes a light cake but we like the denser bread type product that is produced by not using the liquid called for in the directions.
Next I chopped up some pecans, poured in a little vanilla and stirred it all together. I then poured it into greased loaf pans and turned out some of the best banana nut bread we ever tasted. I have since used yellow cake mix, strawberry cake mix and pineapple cake mix instead of the plain white. Each taste a little different, my favorite is the strawberry cake mix banana bread with pecans and chopped dates. Everyone that tastes this asks what it is and then wants to know where to get it or how to make it. These also come out wonderful baked in individual mini loaves or muffins. I just bought some fresh blueberries to try in the next batch.
Here are the basic ingredients and you can change them or add whatever you like.
1 box cake mix (I use whatever house brand is at the store where I buy groceries)
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
3 eggs
1/3 cup of oil (butter tastes wonderful, but I usually use olive oil)
½ to 1 cup of nuts ( I like pecans or walnuts)
1/3 to ½ cup of chopped fruit or dates
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Just dump everything in a big bowl and stir it up until mixed thoroughly. Pour into greased pans. I just spray mine with olive oil spray. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick comes out clean and the bread is a rich golden color. Cool and remove from pans.
I just found an over ripe pear in the crisper, guess what is going in one of these tasty breads next. Enjoy, Wild Ed
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