Holiday Baking Part 4

If you're catching up, click here, here and here for the first, second and third installments...

Now, for the final recipe...the one that is a treasured family favorite.  Grandma Collier's Banana Bread. I have to admit, I've made a few slight changes but I'll post the original recipe as well as the modifications I've made.

First, I always bake it in a bundt pan.  The recipe will make two bread loaf pans but I prefer the nice crust that a bundt pan offers.  I got dance this holiday season and purchased two half size bundt pans so I'd have a more manageable size cake to give away...I didn't want to give an entire large bundt and I also didn't want to make a million batches either.  This way, one batch made two gifts!  Click here for the pans I bought.

Grandma Collier's Banana Bread (Linsey's changes)
3/4 C Shortening [you can use butter but it doesn't turn out quiet the same]
1 1/4 C Sugar (I switch the amounts and use 1 C sugar and 1 1/4 C Brown, for a richer flavor)
1 C Brown Sugar
3 Eggs
3 Bananas (I use 4, frozen and thawed or straight from the counter, doesn't matter)
1/4 C Sour Milk (since most people don't keep sour milk on hand, splash a little vinegar or lemon juice                               in the milk to sour it and let it sit while you're combining the other ingredients)
3 C Flour [I've tried whole wheat flour but its is far to dense and heavy]
1 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Teaspoons Vanilla

Preheat oven to 300, grease and flour pans.  Cream first 3 ingredients.  Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients.  Measure and "sour" milk.  Add eggs one at a time to sugars mixture, mixing (on low speed) one in completely before adding the next.  Add vanilla, and bananas one at a time.  If batter "breaks" gradually add a little of the flour mixture between banana additions.  Add milk and stir to combine.  Pour into prepared pans and bake.  45-60 minutes for small bundt pans, 60-90 minutes for large bundt pan.  Baking time depends on oven and the pans you use.  Plus, you never want to over bake this...even if its a little under baked, that's better than being over baked.  Allow to cool 20 or so minutes in pan then flip onto a wire cooling rack.  Let cool completely (will take a few hours) before wrapping, otherwise moisture and heat will be trapped making the bread soggy and will mold within a few days.  Bread may be kept on the counter as long as its completely covered...because it will be eaten before it has a chance to go bad.

Come back Friday for pics of all the treats I made wrapped all pretty and ready to be given away!