Add A Savory Flavor Bomb To Your Banana Bread With This Addition

Banana bread is the cakey treat that's not only versatile enough to go from breakfast to dessert, but also adaptable enough for all manner of additions. Nuts are, perhaps, the most classic upgrade, and liquid mix-ins like bourbon can also make your banana bread even more dynamic. More savory items, particularly from the animal protein section of the supermarket, are less common. But, if you look back on the porcine bacon-ification of the 2010s, salty meat devotees might want to dig out that epic bacon merch: It's time to add bacon to your banana bread.

If this combination already sounds familiar, it's because you did live through that bacon everything meme, or because of Elvis Presley. The King's purportedly favorite sandwich contained the now classic combination of bacon and bananas, plus peanut butter and honey, all grilled into a sweet, savory handheld snack. The bacon and bananas marry so happily in that and this banana bread case because the sweetness of the fruit slakes the meat's savory fat and activates different taste receptors in tandem. With this combination in mind, you'll want to take advantage of the science of overripe bananas tasting better in banana bread (that extra sweetness will pair very nicely with salty bacon). It's a one-two punch of pleasure.

Unlike with fluid ingredients, you needn't worry too much about recalibrating your whole banana bread recipe to accommodate bacon. You can follow whatever preparation you wish, which will likely call for some combination of flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, baking soda, and the titular bananas, and toss in a few crumbled slices of the crispy swine for terrific results. Baked at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, you can start toothpick testing the loaf for doneness after about 50 minutes.

You'll definitely want to cook the bacon far enough in advance for it to cool before adding it to the batter, however. Your oven, rather than stovetop, provides the best and easiest way to cook bacon. If you're more used to making it on the range, some tips can ensure that you get your bacon perfectly brittle and delicious in the oven. You can also make a big batch all at once for all of your daily BLT, carbonara, or even throwback cupcake-topping needs.