I don’t really remember life without banana bread, although, knowing how babies are fed rice cereal and then other pureed delicacies (I have photo evidence to prove how much I disliked said rice cereal!), I suspect that my introduction to banana bread occurred sometime within my second year of life. Since then, I have enjoyed it more times than I can count. Mom always used the recipe for “Banana Cake” in her golden three-ring-bound copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. My own gluten free recipe had its roots in that formula.
Mom often makes banana bread for breakfasts on the road and brings it to my kiddos as well. They and their cousins (I’m really not sure who came up with this name first) christened it “Nana Bread” in a nod to her nickname and a fun play on the word banana. It is good and homey and just right for breakfast. But it can be even better if you want to play dress up! This peanut butter icing is just the ticket if you want to elevate your good-for-breakfast banana bread to be great-for-dessert banana bread. The icing is composed of dairy and peanut butters, powdered sugar, and coarse salt. It is creamy and rich with the occasional welcome burst of salty crunch. Yes!
Ingredients:
- 1 baked banana bread loaf
- ½ cup (132 grams) peanut butter
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon coarse grain salt
- Chocolate chips (optional)
Step 1: Make sure your banana bread is cool. Melt the peanut butter so that it is runny. I use the chocolate melting function on my microwave to accomplish this, but you could use a double boiler.
Step 2: Whisk together the melted peanut butter and softened butter. Whisk the powdered sugar into the peanut butter. Whisk the salt in as well. Continue to whisk until the icing is really smooth.
Step 3: Slather the top of the banana bread with icing. Decorate with chocolate chips if you would like and enjoy!
