Espresso Banana Bread (using coconut oil or butter)

ESPRESSO BANANA BREAD

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well
1 large egg, at room temperature (the temp here is important because a cold egg will congeal the oil/butter)
2 tablespoons sour cream, or creme fraiche, or Greek yogurt
2 ounces shot of espresso (or absurdly strong coffee)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon instant espresso granules (optional)
1/3 cup melted coconut oil (or melted, unsalted butter)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (whole wheat pastry flour would also work well)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

In a medium-large mixing bowl, stir the mashed bananas together with the egg, sour cream, espresso, and vanilla extract, until everything is well combined. Stir in the instant espresso granules (you can omit these if you want, but if you use only brewed espresso, the bread will have a very subtle coffee flavor - adding instant espresso as well pumps up the coffee flavor. I think it's good both ways.)

Next, stir in the melted coconut oil or butter until it is completely incorporated. Follow this by stirring in the sugar until everything is well mixed; set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Dump this mixture into the wet ingredients and stir just until there are no dry streaks left. The batter will still be lumpy. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the oven until a tester inserted into the loaf comes out clean, about one hour. Remove from the oven, allow to cool in the loaf pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge of the bread and turn it out of the pan. Finish cooling the bread on a cooling rack.

I think the flavor of banana bread gets better if you let it sit for a while, but who can help themselves from having at least one piece while it's still warm, right? But, it'll be even better on day two! Accompanied by espresso! Because espresso is good.

Makes one 9x5-inch loaf
Source: Food 52, By fiveandspice, February 20, 2014