Banana Gingerbread with Icing

More About This Recipe

• We challenged Tablespoon bloggers to choose a classic recipe from the "Heirloom Recipes and New Twist" section of the brand new Betty Crocker Cookbook and throw down their own spin to share with you.
  
  Today's twist: Banana Gingerbread with Icing, Smwise's version of Betty's classic Banana Bread recipe.
  
  My mom and dad are both excellent cooks in their own ways.
  
  My mom has an arsenal of delicious tried-and-true recipes that, no matter how busy we were growing up, brought everyone to the table with eagerness to devour what was on our plates.
  
  My dad, on the other hand, is one for experimenting in the kitchen – as a chemist, this is unsurprising. He’ll find an exotic recipe and make it even more unique with a dash of this, a dollop of that, etc. until he renders the perfect result. His creations, too, were yummy and helped us discover new flavors.
  
  Heirloom Recipe Video: Banana Bread
  
  I like to think my cooking and baking methods are an amalgam of that of my parents’. I love developing my own classic recipes that, no matter how often I make them, bring smiles and fill hungry stomachs. But I also like to incorporate creativity into recipes, just to see what happens.
  
  Take this Banana Gingerbread with Icing, for example – just like the original banana bread recipe has been an enduring favorite in the Betty Crocker Cookbook since the 1930s, it has also been a staple in my mom’s rotation of recipes. But, true to my father’s culinary form, I decided to take things a bit left field and add extra flavors to the traditional quick bread recipe.
  
  The flavors of homemade gingerbread are an excellent counterpart to banana – ginger and banana are just meant to be together. There also is a hint of that strong molasses flavor that blends well with the creaminess of banana and buttermilk. And of course, who can deny anything with a sugary, drippy icing on top? It’s a dead giveaway for a winning recipe.
  
  Whether you’re in the mood for a traditional, classic quick bread or a new, inspired twist, this banana gingerbread is a great recipe to fuel those creative juices in the kitchen.
  
  [cookbook]
  
  More Heirloom Recipe Twists to Try
  
  Heirloom Twist: Savory Baked Brie by Smwise
  Heirloom Twist: Teriyaki Chex Mix by Michelle.p
  Heirloom Twist: Morning Glory Pancakes by Smwise
  Heirloom Twist: Choco-Cherry Pancakes Recipe by CheekyKitchen
  Heirloom Twist: Sriracha Shrimp Cocktail Recipe by Voodoolily
  
  Stephanie (aka Girl Versus Dough) joined Tablespoon to share her adventures in the kitchen. Check out Stephanie’s Tablespoon member profile and keep checking back for her own personal recipes on Tablespoon!