Banana Bread with Glaze

There is something to be said about ripened bananas. Typically these over ripened bananas get tossed away in our house as the kids will not go near them. What they don’t know, is that I take those bananas and make bread out of them. Funny to see how they do not go near the things, however they devour the slices of warm bread. This recipe is extremely easy to make, and creates a delicious loaf of bread, one that is dense and moist. Serve this with a sweet glaze and it is sure to be a hit not only with adults, but kids as well.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 cup of vegetable shortening
• 3 ripe bananas
• 4 eggs, beaten
• Dark Rum (optional)

(cook time: 1 hour)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Now, with your mixer (hand or KitchenAid), beat the shortening, sugar, bananas, and eggs. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix well. Slowly begin to the flour mixture to the other mix. Add about a quarter cup of rum, more if you like. You will now have your mix ready. Lightly butter a bread pan, and add the mixture to the pan. Cook in the oven for nearly one hour, possibly longer depending on your oven. Test the readiness by inserting a knife in the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean, you are good to go.

Once removed from the oven, carefully remove from the pan and let cool for nearly fifteen minutes. This is the hard part, waiting. During the cooling period, add about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar to a bowl. Begin to water to the sugar to make a glaze, one that is not too thick. Add to the top of the loaf, wait a few minutes for the glaze to set, then slice and enjoy.