Since when did licking the bowl and the spoon become taboo? I have looked at numerous recipes over the years, and when I stumble across a baking vegan recipe or a recipe that does not contain eggs it is often stated that "it is safe to lick the bowl". OK - so a few people might have gotten sick from the raw eggs, but seriously - have you REALLY stopped licking the bowl? Nope, I did not think so. Growing up, that was by far the best part of cooking, and I have yet to meet a child who does not delight at licking the bowl and the spoon. When it comes to banana bread, I often find myself licking the spoon more often than I should ensuring that the flavors are just right. This one time however, I wanted to add something more, and that something turned out to be rum. The flavors of bananas and rum work well together, and I often add rum to my cakes. While I hesitated for a moment since the recipe is filled with good stuff, I could not resist. The result is a light, moist bread bursting with bananas and a hint of rum.
Licking the bowl is a must for this recipe, although I am not sure that I would recommend children jump on board - it does have a heavy handed pour of rum, and that make it all the better. So get out those bowls and some extra spoons, and get ready to feel like a kid all over again (in a very responsible way of course...)
Preheat Oven to 350 F
grease a 6-cup loaf pan
1 1/3 C White Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/4 Tsp Baking Powder
3/4 Tsp Salt
3 very ripe small bananas
2 medium eggs
1/4 C vegetable oil
1/4 C honey
1/4 C agave nectar
1/4 C (or so...) or Dark Rum
Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Pour the oil, honey, and agave together in a separate bowl and mix with a hand blender or stand mixer until well incorporated. Add the eggs and mix for about 1 minutes. Add in the bananas and mix the ingredients well until the batter is almost smooth. There will be some banana bits - that is just fine as it adds in texture. Add in the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or mixer on low speed. Once the ingredients are all incorporated add the rum. I tend to pour it in until the taste is right (i.e. I do not really measure...) but 1/4 C should do it, and you might even want to use less depending on your taste. Bake for about 55 minutes, and remove from the oven. Allow to sit in the pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out on a cooling rack. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes before slicing.
