Sharing the Love of Banana Bread

I've never had anyone not love this bread!

After I posted a photo of a loaf of banana bread, I got several requests for the recipe. I know Joanna Gaines has a new fangled recipe that one of my daughters swears by, it's cooked in a 9 x 9, and I'm sure it's lovely. But I'm a creature of habit. I've been using this recipe since 1981, and I'm thinking if it's not broke, don't fix it. I've fed our kids literally hundreds of loaves of this stuff, given away dozens of loaves at least, and nobody has ever returned a loaf or refused to eat it. So I'm sticking with it. 

Its origin is a church cookbook from the thriving metropolis of Washburn, North Dakota. In 1980 the population was 1,750 and checking just now it's 'grown' to 1400. Exactly. It shrunk because the coal mining industry that was thriving when we lived there is mostly a thing of the past.  I don't remember how many people attended the church when we lived there, but the attendance today is 135. 

We lived in Washburn for four years, which means we lived through four winters when it got to minus 50 degrees. We had grit back then, especially when you consider that Cub Sweetheart had a job that required him to work outdoors. Me personally, I was pregnant most of our North Dakota days, so I had built in insulation. I don't remember me personally being cold, just large and nauseous most of the time. 

In my sixties now, I wouldn't be too quick to sign up to move back, but we had a wonderful time living there. So many sweet, funny memories, and the people were truly the salt of the earth. They said 'oofda' and would lend you anything they had without hesitation. There was no crime, and I've always wondered if it was just too cold? I was a very young wife and mom and really had no idea how to cook or run a house. So when someone gave me a copy of the Washburn Baptist Church cookbook, with the pale blue plastic cover, I cooked the daylights out of that thing. To this day I still make the oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, CS's favorite cookie on the planet. And this banana bread. It's supposed to make two loaves, but I've never been satisfied with the fact that the first loaf was always beautiful and the second loaf would turn out squatty, so I've converted it to one lovely high loaf. If you follow the directions I pretty much guarantee it'll turn out and be devoured by whoever you gift it to.*

Washburn, North Dakota Banana Bread

Heat oven to 350 degrees

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

4 Tblsp buttermilk (1/4 cup) **

1 tsp soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cloves

1 tsp vanilla

3 mashed ripe bananas

2 cups flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

cinnamon sugar for dusting

Cream sugar and butter in mixing bowl. Add eggs and buttermilk. Add all other ingredients except cinnamon sugar. Scoop into a loaf pan that has been sprayed with pam. Sprinkle top of loaf with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for at least one hour, then use cake tester in middle to test for doneness. If tester is wet at all cook for another five minutes. Keep adding 5 minute increments until center is dry. You may want to place foil over the top of the loaf after the first 50 minutes if it begins to look like it's over-browning. When done, remove from oven to a cooling rack. Once cool turn out onto wooden cutting board, let cool completely before slicing. This freezes very well to gift or enjoy later. 

**I use the powdered buttermilk, throw in a Tablespoon of the powder and 1/4 cup water, mix them together and throw them in. I'm sure you could also use the real deal but since I have PTSD over having to drink the stuff growing up it's NEVER in my refrigerator. 

*Tip: When you bake this, let it cool, then slice the entire loaf, and take a slice right out of the middle. Cut stolen slice in half and share it with someone while it's still slightly warm. The recipient will never miss the slice and those living under your roof will hate you less for baking only one loaf and giving it away.