Kaʻū Kaukau: Macnut Banana Bread

By Hailey Brown

For this issue’s Ka’ū Kaukau column, we have a special guest writer. Hailey Brown was at the recent Ka’ū High School senior expo. Her project was baked goods. Ka’ū News couldn’t resist inviting her to share one of her delicious recipes with the community. Way to go Hailey! Mahalo for sharing!

Step-by-step process:

• Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.

• In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients: 1 1/4 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 3/4 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk until evenly mixed.

• Stir the crushed macadamia nuts into the dry ingredients so they’re evenly distributed.

• In a separate bowl, prepare the wet ingredients: 1 cube (1/2 cup) melted butter, 3 mashed bananas, and 2 eggs. Whisk together until smooth and well combined.

• Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Fold together gently until just combined — don’t overmix. A few lumps are perfectly fine.

• Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.

• Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

• If the top begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking.

• Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.