I had 3 bananas in my fruit bowl for the past week. They were there, taunting me. Every day turning slightly darker and softer, and releasing a sweet scent that I knew was perfect for banana bread. Every night I came home from work and they were there, saying “I’m perfect for baking!” yet my will was weak and I couldn’t bear to stand in the kitchen for an hour, peering into the hot oven and waiting for my bread to bake to perfection.
I felt like a bad person for wasting such perfectly brown bananas. But then, as I was just about to wave the white flag of surrender on Saturday morning, it hit me. Like a ton of bananas. Pancakes! Perfect! I tried to tell myself that it wasn’t laziness that swayed me from baking banana bread this week, it was my subconscious guiding me towards banana pancake heaven! All the glorious smells of banana bread baking in the oven, just in a lil ol’ frying pan. I couldn’t have been happier! And unless you’re allergic, don’t leave out the nuts! They are a lovely suprise texture in these normally soft pancakes.
Banana Bread Pancakes
Makes 10-12 medium sized pancakes
2 cups Homemade Baking Mix*
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup walnuts, chopped
*Sub 2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt.
In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine dry ingredients (No one, and I mean no one, wants a mouthful of nutmeg!). Add the vanilla to the milk, then add slowly to the dry ingredients. The mix will still be a bit dry at this point. Add the mashed bananas to the batter and thoroughly combine.
Heat a frying pan on medium and spray with cooking spray. Pour about 1/3 cup portions of batter onto heated pan. Sprinkle the upside with walnuts and press lightly into batter with a spatula. Cook until bubbles appear, about 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook about 1-2 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve hot, with butter and maple syrup. Delicious!