Pudding turns up in pursuit of ‘best banana bread’ recipe

I wonder how many banana bread recipes there are in the world. Thousands? Tens of thousands? A bazillion? I guess there’s no such thing as too many, as long as the world gives us bananas.

More likely, though, you’ll find a favorite and remain true to it for life.

Carol Hayashi tasted that bread. "It’s the best banana bread that I’ve ever tried. It was dense and moist like mango bread but not mushy."

The person who baked it said it came from a Hawaiian Electric Co. "healthy cookbook."

HECO puts out an annual employee cookbook under the title of "A Taste to Remember," sold as a benefit for Aloha United Way. The 2012 book is Volume 7 in the series; orders are being taken for Volume 8, due at the end of the year.

Ka’iulani de Silva, HECO’s director of education and consumer affairs, and her staff searched the collection and came up with a few selections for banana bread, although none professed to be healthy and none of the books was dedicated to healthy recipes.

I looked at the choices and picked one that, first, seemed as though it might fit Hayashi’s requirements; and, second, had a twist I hadn’t tried before in banana bread.

This recipe, credited to Maui Electric Co. retiree Eileen Wachi, uses a box of vanilla pudding, which helps create that moist, dense texture Hayashi is seeking.

A couple of variations: I made one loaf without nuts and it turned out fine, so despite the title of the recipe you can go without if that is your preference. If, on the other hand, you love nuts, save 1/4 cup for the top of the loaves. After the bread has baked 10 to 15 minutes, sprinkle the reserved nuts over the loaves and press lightly into the batter. They’ll toast nicely and give your bread a full-on nutty look.

To order a HECO cookbook: Cost is $10. Pick one up at a HECO customer service office (900 Richards St. or 820 Ward Ave.) or order from Hawaiian Electric, P.O. Box 2750, Honolulu 96840. Shipping costs are $5.60 for one to two cookbooks; $12.35 for three to 10. Call 543-4111 for an order form or download a copy at www.heco.com.

EILEEN’S BANANA NUT BREAD WITH VANILLA PUDDING

1-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 (3.4-ounce) package vanilla instant pudding
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3 cups mashed very ripe bananas (leave some chunks of fruit)
1-1/2 cups chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 5-by-9-inch loaf pans or 3 smaller pans.

Combine sugar, oil and eggs; mix well.

In separate bowl, whisk pudding mix, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add gradually to sugar mixture and stir until well-combined. Fold in bananas and nuts. Bake 55 minutes or until a pick inserted at center comes out clean.

Nutritional information unavailable.

———

Write "By Request," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Or email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.