Mango-Banana Bread

This is my favorite recipe and it was adapted from my favorite cook book, “A World of Breads,” by Dolores Casella (1966).  In the over 40 years that I have been making this bread, nothing beats it for consistency:  moist, sweet and delicious. 

A mango like those in the photo above are hand-picked from the tree for eating; however, just like any fruit, many fall as they ripen and it is those that I use for this bread.  Already soft and bruised, they mash easily. As you can see in the photo, a mango turns red and yellow as it ripens. 

Apple bananas are my first choice for this bread, but any banana that is overripe (already getting soft and dark) will do. I mash the fruit by hand instead of in the blender or food processor, which results in a less even texture that I prefer in the final product. 

½ C butter

1 C white or brown sugar (brown sugar makes a darker bread)

2 eggs

2 C flour (1 C whole wheat can be used)

½ Tsp soda

1 C ripe bananas mashed

½ C ripe mango mashed

nuts (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, then add the flour and soda and stir as you add the mango/banana mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees in an oiled loaf pan for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  The bread should not jiggle but be firm and mine gets almost too dark before I take it out of the oven.  While this bread is fantastic when warm, it seems to moisten and sweeten on the second and third day (if it lasts that long).  Enjoy.