February 2022 – Bananas

Black-Bottom Banana Bars

Same recipe submitted by
Donna Weaver, Narvon and
Ellen Zimmerman, Ephrata

• ½ cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup baking cocoa

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly combined. Blend in the bananas.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Divide batter in half. Add cocoa to half; spread into a greased 13”x9”x2” baking pan. Spoon remaining batter on top and swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until the bars test done. Cool.

Yield: 2½ to 3 dozen.

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Guatemala Banana Bread

Helena Dueck, Ephrata

• 2½ cups flour
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 3½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1¼ cups mashed ripe bananas
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1½ teaspoon grated lime peel
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Beat about 30 seconds.

Bake at 350°F for an hour or more until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

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Banana Tapioca

Helena Dueck, Ephrata

• 5 tablespoons tapioca
• 1½ cups water
• ¹/₈ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1 can coconut milk
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 bananas
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Combine tapioca, water, salt, cinnamon, coconut milk and brown sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add bananas and vanilla.

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Crunchy Baked Bananas

Tera McFarland, Reinholds

• 2 or 3 bananas
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• ½ cup miniature marshmallows
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 cup cornflakes

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Peel the bananas and cut lengthwise. Arrange the bananas in a buttered dish. Sprinkle the brown sugar and then the marshmallows over the bananas.

Mix together the melted butter and the cornflakes. Spread over the top of the banana dish. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

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Healthy Banana Bread

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

“Delicious & moist!”

• 1¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
• ¹/₃ cup cane sugar or ½ cup finely chopped dates
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• pinch salt
• ¹/₃ cup applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 small or 3 large overripe bananas (1½ to 1¾ cup, mashed)
• ¼ cup almond milk

Optional:

• ½ to ²/₃ cup walnuts, chopped
• ¼ to ½ cup mini or regular chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mash bananas. Add applesauce and vanilla. Add flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix well, but just until flour is combined; don’t over mix. If batter is too thick, add more milk. Pour into a greased loaf pan.

Bake for 48 to 50 minutes. Remove from oven and lot cool for 10 minutes.

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Banana Cake

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• 2½ cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• 1²/₃ cups sugar
• ²/₃ cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 1¼ cups mashed ripe bananas
• ²/₃ cup buttermilk
• ²/₃ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease and flour two 9” cake pans.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat together the sugar and shortening in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Blend in the bananas. Add the flour mixture, alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Stir in the walnuts, if using. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely.

Frosting:

• ¹/₃ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup shortening
• ½ cup margarine, softened
• 1¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Gradually add milk to flour and cook until thick, stirring constantly. Cool.

Beat together shortening and margarine until creamy. Add sugar and vanilla. Combine with cooled flour mixture and beat until creamy.

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Upside Down Banana Pecan Muffins

Pat Roth, Ephrata

• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¹/₃ cup butter, softened
• ²/₃ cup chopped pecans
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and butter. Stir in the pecans. Put 1 tablespoon of the nut mixture into each of 14 greased muffin cups. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

In another small bowl, beat together the eggs, oil, bananas and vanilla. Stir oil mixture into the flour mixture just until all ingredients are moistened.

Fill the prepared muffin cups with the batter.

Bake at 375°F. for 20 minutes or until they test done with a toothpick. Turn muffins upside down onto a serving plate.

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Banana Cream Pie

Pat Roth, Ephrata

“This recipe is for people like me who are diabetic and like sweets too. It is simply delicious!”

• 1½ cups cold fat-free milk
• 1 oz. package sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
• ¹/₃ cup fat-free sour cream
• 8 oz. carton frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 3 medium firm bananas, sliced
• 9” reduced fat graham cracker crust

In a bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add the sour cream and mix well. Fold in 1½ cups of the whipped topping.

Place half of the banana slices in the crust. Top with half of the pudding mixture. Repeat the layers. Spread with the remaining whipped topping.

Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours before cutting. Pie will be soft set.