Sunday Sweets...Brown butter banana strawberry bread.

I love banana bread...Especially my other in laws but since I don't yet have her recipe (which I was chastised for by  my brother in law) I was on the hunt for one and found this little beauty from Joy the baker. I was excited because it seemed like just a lovely more summery take on the banana breads we all love. Now, brown butter if you look at her blog she lovingly describes all the wonderful things it does for the bread....I can't say I noticed but I also am pretty sure I got impatient and didn't do it quite right. So if you are nervous or need just a little more time simply add 1/2 cup butter instead because that is probably what mine was more like and it was still lovely.  Oh lovely must be my word of the day. 

I took it to Jaren's family reunion and they were all super excited about it and liked it but it seems like the feedback was maybe not strawberry-y enough and while I wished they could have tried it fresh out of the oven (because my consensus was delicious) I can't say I disagreed with them...so maybe up it to a cup...or try different berries too. I'm going to make my next loaf with strawberries and raspberries! I know...YUM!

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

6 ounces butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

1/2 cup diced strawberries plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced, for topping

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside. (also two smaller pans is fine too)

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts.  When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown.  Swirl the pan as the butter cooks.  When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl.  Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and yogurt or buttermilk.  Whisk in the mashed bananas.  When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients.  Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour.  Fold in the diced strawberries.  Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with thinly sliced strawberries.   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature.  This loaf also freezes well.