While my original intention was to make a healthier version of banana bread with coconut oil, millet, toasted buckwheat and sunflower seeds. When I began to search for recipes my mind and desires quickly went elsewhere, I was swept up with the thought of filling my kitchen with the aroma of brown butter, bourbon and spiciness of freshly grated ginger. Here are the results (it was so good I ended up making it twice in one week!).
Bourbon Ginger Banana Bread
Adapted from Joy the Baker's - One Skillet Dark & Stormy Banana Bread
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla paste
4 medium ripe bananas, ( +1 more for the banana garnish on top, can be less ripe)
1 tbsp bourbon
2 - inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated finely on a rasp
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Demerara sugar for sprinkling
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a small pot add butter, begin to melt and brown over medium heat, cook until it begins to bubble and when it starts to foam and smell like caramel and roasted nuts remove from heat, let cool slightly.
- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, mashed bananas, add slightly cooled brown butter (making sure you get all those caramelized milk solids on the bottom of the pot). Add vanilla paste, bourbon, grated ginger and spices.
- Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir carefully until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
- Pour batter into a prepared loaf pan that has been greased and has a piece of parchment across. Top with your remaining banana that has been sliced horizontally through the middle, sprinkle with some coarse sugar like demerara.
- Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until when a cake tester is inserted it comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if you'd like and enjoy warm.