Banana cake recipe 

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas (around 1 1/2 cups mashed)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter (or vegetable oil for vegan option)
• 1 egg (or 1 flaxseed egg* for vegan option)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

*For a flaxseed egg: Combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes until thickened.

Instructions:

Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a loaf pan. This will ensure the bread bakes evenly and removes easily from the pan.

Mash the Bananas: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork. The bananas should be mostly smooth, but a few small chunks are perfectly fine. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.

Whisk the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisking dry ingredients helps to aerate them, which contributes to a lighter and fluffier final product.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the mashed bananas and stir gently with a spatula or large spoon. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, and avoid overmixing. Overmixing can lead to a tough and dense bread.

Mix in the Wet Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter (or oil), egg (or flaxseed egg), and vanilla extract (if using). Pour the wet ingredients into the banana mixture and fold it in gently until just combined. A few lumps are okay, and overmixing at this stage is still a concern.

Bake and Cool: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake the banana bread for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows the bread to set before slicing and serving.