Orange Cinnamon Banana Bread

I love this banana bread. I've started to learn not to say certain things are my favorite or perfect because I often find something later that I like better, or my taste will change, but this banana bread is at the top of banana breads I've tasted. The top is crispy and the inside is moist like banana bread should be. I even gave mini loaves of this bread to our neighbors for Christmas this year. I have been meaning to try honey in place of the sugar but keep forgetting, so if you try it let me know how it is. 😊

Orange Cinnamon Banana Bread 

Makes 1 8x4 inch loaf

Ingredients 

2 c flour 

1 Tbs baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 Tbs cinnamon 

Zest and juice (about 1/3 c) of one orange 

1/2 c unsalted butter

1 cup sugar 

2 lg eggs

1 1/2 c (~3) mashed over-ripe bananas 

1 Tbs vanilla

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease or line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and zest in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, vanilla, bananas and juice and mix well. 

Add flour to butter mixture slowly. 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 50min - hour. Insert and remove toothpick to make sure the middle is done and batter isn't pulled out with the toothpick. With this banana bread I check a few times. The top will be golden brown and maybe a little darker than you're used to. 

Allow to cool for 20 min in pan on a cooling rack then remove it from pan and finish cooling on the rack.