Today is National Banana Bread Day, and Tim Griffin, Carmel Firefighter, joined us with recipes for both Banana Bread and a Banana Cake recipe from his wife’s grandmother.

Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• Bread
• 3 medium or large bananas
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp Greek yogurt

Crumb Topping

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp butter, cold

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease two 8×4 pans.
2. In a small bowl, mash bananas, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and ground cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add in eggs and beat until mixed.
5. To the wet ingredients, sift in flour, baking soda, and salt.
6.  Stir until just combined. Add in sour cream and stir.
7. Pour in mashed bananas, and mix until combined.

Crumb Topping

1. Combine cinnamon, flour, and brown sugar.
2. Cut in butter with a pastry cutter, and mix until the topping looks like coarse crumbs.
3. Sprinkle coating evenly over the batter in both pans.
4. Bake for about 35-40 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs stuck to it.
5. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.
6. Move to a wire cooling rack.

Slice and enjoy!

Banana Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs, separated
• 1 and 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup nuts, if desired

Directions:

1. Beat egg whites until frosty.
2. Gradually beat in 1/3 cup sugar until very stiff and glossy.
3. Sift remaining sugar, flour, powder, salt, soda into another bowl.
4. Add oil, mashed banana, buttermilk and vanilla.
5. Beat 1 minute.
6. Fold in egg whites.
7. Pour into greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.