Peanut Banana Bread

Lest you think that Maida Heatter only creates decadent desserts (see Rum and Espresso Chocolate Cheesecake), look at this simple quick bread. It’s a banana bread, really, but the differences are the chopped peanuts and the golden raisins. I did take some liberties as I forgot the golden raisins when I went shopping, so I threw in dark raisins instead. It is not too sweet and makes a nice breakfast or snack slathered with cream cheese. What makes it truly special is Maida’s crazy headnote. When I read it, and her other stylistically similar headnotes, I cannot help but smile.

Here it is, headnote, recipe and all as presented in Maida Heatter’s Book of Great American Desserts (Random House, 1983).

“Years ago my husband owned a restaurant in Miami Beach. During that time the Republican party held their convention in Miami Beach to nominate a candidate for the presidency. I thought it would be a good idea, in order to get some publicity for the restaurant, to serve elephant meat omelets (the symbol of the Republican party being an elephant). We found that we could buy canned elephant meat at Bloomingdale’s. To get some ideas about how to serve the omelet, I called The Explorer’s Club in Washington, D.C. and Treetop, William Holden’s restaurant in Kenya. I spoke to the chef at each restaurant; they loved the idea. AFter much discussion and consideration we decided that the omelet would be rolled around the elephant meat (which resembled beef stew), on each side there would be half a sautéed banana, and over the top a generous handful of coarsely chopped peanuts. (It was a huge success; the publicity was tremendous).

Since then I never see bananas without thinking of peanuts and elephant meat, and I never see peanuts without thinking of bananas and elephant meat.

This delicious banana bread has peanuts (but no elephant meat) – and it is gorgeous”.

How could you not fall in love with Maida after a crazy story like that?

Here’s the recipe. I have adapted it slightly:

 

Makes 1, 9-inch loaf

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup salted peanuts, chopped

1/2 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 large eggs, at room temperature

3 to 4 large ripened bananas (lightly mashed to equal 1 1/2 cups; they should be chunky)

1/3 cup sour cream

Adjust oven rack to lower third of oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan, coat with flour and tap out any excess.

Whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl to aerate and combine. Stir in peanuts and raisins; set aside.

Beat butter with electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar and beat well until combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, allowing each one to be incorporated before adding the next, scraping down the bowl once or twice. Beat in bananas and sour cream just until combined. Add dry ingredients in three batches and beat only until just combined.

Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top, if necessary, with small offset spatula. Bake for about 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or just until a toothpick tests clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes, unmold, turn upright and cool completely.

Maida says to store in refrigerator. I prefer to wrap in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. I also like to let it sit overnight before slicing. Per her suggestions, try it toasted with cream cheese and jelly.