bourbon + peanut butter banana bread

i'm pretty sure this is one of the most balanced breakfasts that i have consumed in a long time...fruit? check. booze? check. coffee? check.

you really can't taste the bourbon in this bread, but alcohol intensifies flavors when you cook with it and is a "flavor conductor".

 all that flavor is about to get conducted into yo' mouth.

 

the recipe that i went with is from america's test kitchen via leite's culinaria. the crew over at atk can do no wrong, the mister and i have loved every single recipe that we have ever made of theirs and we have 2 years worth of their magazines. they do good work, folks. 

their recipes are always pretty basic and this one was no exception. the usual players were involved in the making of this bread- flour, sugar, bananas, eggs, vanilla, salt, melted and cooled butter. even though i knew the bread would have been perfect exactly as the recipe was written, i had stumbled upon this recipe from joy the baker and knew that i must include bourbon and peanut butter in my bread.

and oh. my. good golly. am i glad i did. 

the bread came out with a perfect tender crumb, with a light hint of peanut butter in the background (too much and it would overwhelm the banana flavor...a big no no) and just a little bite from the bourbon. i added 2 T of bourbon to this recipe but i think next time i will add 3 T (or 4) to see if i can get a little more of the bourbon flavor to shine on through.

you should make this and then eat 2 slices with a little butter slathered on, warm and straight from the oven.

ain't no shame in that.

bourbon + peanut butter banana bread

slightly adapted recipe via leite's culinaria

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for the pan
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 (or 4!) T good bourbon, i used bulleit
• 1/3 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter, i used trader joe's all natural crunchy
•  
• adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) degrees. butter the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan. dust the pan with flour, tapping out the excess.
  
  
  whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in a large bowl.
  
  mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, peanut butter, bourbon and vanilla with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  

  
  bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. serve warm or at room temperature. 

  the bread can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or sliced and wrapped in saran wrap and then placed in a freezer bag and popped into the freezer.
  

  
  i always freeze half of the loaf so that we don't overdo it, and then we get to enjoy some today and then some in a couple weeks!