Banana Bread

Adapted from the Flour Bakery and Café, Boston

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 4 large eggs at room temperature for 30 minutes
• 2 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely mashed very ripe bananas (3 large)
• 1/4 cup crème fraîche or 1/3 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Method

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (9- by 5- by 3-inch) metal loaf pans, then dust with flour, knocking out excess.
• Sift together 3 1/4 cups flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a bowl.
• Beat together eggs and sugar in bowl of electric mixer at medium-high speed until very thick and pale and mixture forms a ribbon when beater is lifted, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce speed to low and add oil in a slow stream, mixing, then mix in bananas, crème fraîche, and vanilla. Remove bowl from mixer and fold in flour mixture gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter between loaf pans, spreading evenly, and bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer comes out clean, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.
• Cool loaves in pans on a rack 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack. Turn loaves right side up and cool completely.
• Slice and serve with crème fraiche or sour cream.