Source: Betty Crocker's Picture cookbook
Makes 8 servings.
Preparation time: 3 hours
Tips: Good breakfast loaf, plain or toasted.
Banana Swirl Bread
Ingredients
Preparation
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 envelope)
1/2 cup warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 cup mashed bananas ( 2 large)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 whole egg
1/4 cup shortening
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in bananas, 1/4 cup sugar, the salt, egg, shortening and 1 3/4 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
2. Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Dough is very soft.
3. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.)
4. Grease generously loaf pan, 9x5x3 inches. Punch down dough. Roll into rectangle, 16x8 inches. Brush with melted butter.
5. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon and sprinkle over rectangle. Roll up tightly, begining at narrow side. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal well. Place seam side down in pan. Cover: let rise until double, about 1 hour.
About 30 minutes before baking, preheat oven to 375F degrees.
6. Bake until golden brown, 35 minutes only. Do not over cook. Loaf will be dark brown. If loaf is turning brown early in baking, cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time.
7. Remove loaf from pan, brush with butter; cool for few minutes.
8. Mix together frosting ingredients to a smooth paste. Spread frosting on top of loaf while it still warm.
FILLING:
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
butter, melted
FROSTING:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons milk or cream
