Banana bread always brings me back to my childhood. More often than not, my family wouldn’t eat all the bananas my parents tried to keep around the house for us, and it was my job (as a baker since I first got hold of an Easy-Bake Oven) to repurpose them before they went to waste. Banana bread is still one of my favorites; I often grab extra bananas at the store so I’ll have some brownish ones (you definitely want to use overripe fruit when you make banana bread) ready to mash a week or so later.
This recipe is a little more grown up than my childhood version. The cinnamon and orange zest are optional, but they balance out the earthy cannabis flavors quite nicely. In a pinch, lemon zest can be substituted. The best part: it makes a great breakfast, a light afternoon snack, or a sweet dessert. If you’re the wake-and-bake type, use your favorite sativa strain to get those thoughts rolling; if you’re more of a midnight snacker, try it with a heavy indica to help you relax and turn off for the night.
Cannabis Banana Bread Recipe
Start to finish: 1 hour 20 minutes (active: 20 minutes)
Yields: 12 servings
Approximate dosage: 10 milligrams per serving*
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ½ cup cannabutter, melted
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups (3 to 4 medium) overripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (optional)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour the bottoms only of two mini loaf pans, or one large loaf pan.
- Beat the cannabutter and sugar with a hand mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat at a low speed until well blended. Add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, vanilla, and orange zest. Beat at medium-low speed until smooth.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add them to the wet mixture while beating on low speed, and continue beating until just moistened.
- If using nuts, fold them in and pour the mixture into pans.
- Bake two mini loaves for 50–60 minutes, or one large loaf about 70–75 minutes. When done, a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean. Let them cool completely (approximately two hours) before slicing. If stored in an airtight container, loaves will keep about five days at room temperature, or 10 to 12 days refrigerated.
Pro tips for a perfect loaf:
- I always butter (or grease) my pans and then dust them with a light layer of flour whenever I bake cakes, brownies, or breads. This makes for a much smoother removal.
- Position the oven rack so that the tops of the loaf pans are dead-center in the oven to prevent over-browning of the crust
- Slather with butter (or more cannabutter) for an even better banana bread experience!
*Note: The amount of cannabutter specified in this recipe is a very loose suggestion; the actual amount you use should be modified based on the strength of your butter and the potency you desire. Dosing homemade edibles can be tricky (click here to learn why), so the best way to test for potency is to start with one portion of a serving, wait one to two hours, then make an informed decision on whether to consume more. Always dose carefully and listen to your body, and never drive under the influence of cannabis.
