Indescribably Delicious Banana Bread (Incognito)

I think someone might be trying to pull a fast one on us....... or at the very least, trying to bamboozle us! This recipe was first posted in August of 1999 in an Epicurious online recipe forum called Gail's Recipe Swap. The the four word title for the bread was exactly as I have named it above, but guess what?  While three of the words are completely accurate, I have a sneaking suspicion that the fourth may be the conniving work of a CCC (culinary con artist)!

This sweet delight is unbelievably, yes indescribably delicious and it is definitely loaded with wonderful banana flavor (4 bananas for each batch!)..................... but BREAD??? Come on now!?  I just cannot, in good conscience, call this wonderful stuff bread. Coffee cake? Sure. Cake? Oh yes! One of the most delicious cakes ever? YES! ........... just not BREAD!

Seriously, try it for yourself, I think you'll agree and will be making this amazing bread oops, I mean, cake again and again. After all, we have to have something (besides Green Smoothies) to do with all those bananas that are past their prime, right?!

Notes:
- The original recipe calls for pecans, however, I used macadamia nuts. (I found a super-duper sale) - I think pecans would also be fantastic.
-The recipe makes two large or four small loaves (or 2 round cake pans or 10 inch tart pans, if you're being honest and calling it dessert!) so it's great for gift giving.
-The bread/cake freezes well so it's wonderful to have stashed away for a rainy (or hungry) day!
- It is delicious for dessert - serve warm with a scoop of ice cream, a few slices of fresh banana  and a tiny drizzle of caramel sauce - it's the creme de la creme!
- Another idea is to make it without the topping - it will be the best banana bread you've ever made!
- The last sentence in the directions is probably the most important - when you are broiling the topping, watch it very carefully! I got distracted and could have cried when I looked in the oven and saw the pitiful looking scene you see below!  OOOOPS!!! My smoke alarm got a little exercise that day too........... :(

Shhhhhhhhhhhh, ............I did say a teeeeeny weeeeny bad word but don't tell anyone.........

Indescribably Delicious Banana Bread Incognito

FOR BREAD/CAKE
1 cup butter, softened
1-½ cups sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
4 very ripe bananas, mashed*
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
¼ cup buttermilk
1-½ teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

FOR TOPPING
6 tablespoons butter
10 tablespoons dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons milk
1 cup or more, chopped pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Mash bananas and add to butter mixture along with the beaten eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Mix well. Add flour, soda and salt and beat well. Pour into 2 well greased and floured 9"x 5"x 3" loaf pans.

3. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until bread pulls away from sides of pan. Round cake pans will only take 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, no wet batter. Cool in pan.

4. For topping, melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Cook until very syrupy. Remove from heat and add chopped pecans. Pour over bread, spreading to all the corners and place under broiler until bubbly and brown. WATCH CLOSELY so topping does not burn. Remove from oven and let sit until cool. Carefully run thin bladed knife around edges of bread to loosen any areas that are sticking and remove from pan. ENJOY!

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