Eva's Kitchen - Eva Longoria Parker [48]
MAKES 1 LOAF
11 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup packed light brown sugar
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
¼ cup dark rum
¼ cup Cognac
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon sour cream or buttermilk
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
1. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the brown sugar and cook, stirring often, until the sugar melts completely and the mixture forms a smooth syrup, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat if the sugar is browning too quickly. Don’t worry if the sugar looks like it is clumping; it will smooth out as it cooks. Stir in the bananas, rum, and Cognac; the syrup will harden and become sticky. Cook 10 to 12 minutes, until the sugar has melted and the mixture is well blended. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 5 × 9-inch loaf pan and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, place the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk until well blended and set aside.
4. In the work bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large mixing bowl with a handheld mixer, place the sugar and remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Beat on medium-high speed until fluffy and lightened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and beat until well blended.
5. Add the flour mixture and beat on medium speed just until blended. Add the reserved cooled bananas and the sour cream and beat just until blended. Fold in the nuts, if using. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until well browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Unmold and let cool completely.
FROM AUNT ELSA’S KITCHEN Bananas can go from ripe to overripe very quickly. Peel and place them in a sturdy zip-top bag in the freezer until you can get around to making banana bread.
pumpkin bread
We always understood where our food came from. More often than not, the source was the land outside our back door! Pumpkin bread began with the pumpkin seed that we planted, tended, and eventually harvested. My mom never bought cans of cooked pumpkin, so the only time we could have pumpkin bread was when there was a surplus of pumpkins in our garden. This made me keenly aware of why pumpkins and pumpkin treats are a tradition for the autumn holidays—this is when pumpkins are actually in season! In fact, pumpkin bread is a Halloween tradition in my house. Those jack-o’-lanterns offer more than just spooky light—the pumpkins give us the makings for baking as well. I love cinnamon and this bread is definitely cinnamony, though you can use less if desired. As the bread bakes, the kitchen fills with a sweet, caramel aroma. The bread is very dark outside and very moist within.
MAKES 2 LOAVES
FOR THE PUMPKIN PUREE (SEE NOTE)
2½ cups chopped fresh pumpkin
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
FOR THE BREAD
3½ cups all-purpose flour
3 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1. To prepare the pumpkin puree, place the pumpkin, sugar, and cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Add ¾ cup water and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for about 10 minutes, or until the pumpkin is very soft. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand until the pumpkin is completely cool. Drain off any excess water. Transfer the mixture to the work bowl of a food processor or blender and process until pureed. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9 × 5-inch loaf pans.
3. In a large bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking soda,