A Peculiar take on a comfort food staple.
Banana bread is a classic favorite. This banana bread is moist, easy to make, and baked in a BROWN PAPER BAG! Why make it in a brown paper bag? Well, this particular method is great for those who like to gift and those who don't care to buy a loaf pan. It is a simple, easy, and eye catching method to wow your friends and family. Plus it just looks to cool!!! My question to you is, is it bread or a muffin?
INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup Butter (softened)
1/4 cup White Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
3 very ripe Bananas
1 tsp Vanilla (heaping)
1 Egg
1/2 cup Whole milk
1Tbsp White Vinegar
1 1/2 cups Flour (all purpose)
1 tsp Baking soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 cup toasted Walnuts (optional)
CRUMB TOPPING
3 Tbsp Flour (all purpose)
1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Butter (melted)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Crushed Walnuts or Oats
OTHER SUPPLIES
Brown paper bags (acid free and food safe)
Butter knife (stainless steel)
Pastry brush
Cellophane wrap (for gifting)
Twine
Spray bottle of water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Take 2 brown paper bags and place one inside the other. Fold the top down until it is roughly 4 inches tall.
-Generously brush the inside of the bag with melted butter.
-In a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the soft butter, white sugar and brown sugar until fluffy.
-In a cup add milk and vinegar and let set for 5 minutes until the milk starts to curdle.
-Add the curdled milk to the bowl of creamed butter.
-Add the egg, vanilla , and 3 ripe bananas. Mix until combined it's okay if there are banana chunks.
-In s separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together.
-Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula for 20 turns until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX! Do not use the electric mixer for this part. The batter may have some bits of flour still. That's okay.
-Scoop the batter into the prepared brown paper bag. Try to avoid getting batter on the sides of the bag.
-Sprinkle the top with the crumb topping mixture. (recipe below)
-Brush some melted butter on a stainless steel butter knife and stick it to the center of the batter. This is a peculiar step, but the knife essentially acts as a heating rod to make sure the center of the bread bakes evenly. This step can be left out if you choose to make this in a normal loaf pan.
-Place the bag on a cookie sheet and lightly spray the bag with water.
-Bake in a 350°f oven for 55-60 minutes.
-After 15 minutes of baking, make sure the knife is still standing straight. Reposition it with another knife if it's skewed to the side. (Do not touch with you hands)
-Once baked, pull it out of the oven and place it on top of the stove. Leave it alone for 2 hours on the cookie sheet to cool. This step is important as it gives the bread time to set and fully cook in the center.
CRUMB TOPPING
3 Tbsp Flour (all purpose)
1 1/2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
1/8 tsp Salt
1 1/2 Tbsp Butter (melted)
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 cup Crushed Walnuts or Oats
-For crumble topping, Mix all ingredients together until chunks form.
-Freeze for 10 minutes before adding on top of the banana bread.
AND BAM!
PERFECT BANANA BAG BREAD!
This bread is great for gifts, wrap it and cellophane and it's ready to give.
Notes*
*Let cool completely before removing the butter knife from the center and cutting. About 2 hours. The residual heat from the pan and the knife help the bread set during cooling time.
*After removing the butter knife, I like to cover the hole with the crumb topping.
*Make sure your butter knife is stainless steel.
* Don't over wet the paper bag before baking. Just a few spritz's.
*Check on the bread once at 15 minutes to adjust the knife in the center and again at 30 minutes to make sure everything is looking good.
* Roll bag to be 4 inches
HAPPY BAKING!
"Magic is in the simplest of ingredients."
