National Banana Day
We’ve all heard the saying “as American as apple pie,” but, according to the International Fresh Produce Association’s 2021 numbers, bananas are actually the most popular fruit in the United States. (And those apples? They’re actually in fourth place behind strawberries and grapes). It seems like that popular saying just might need to be updated. May I suggest:
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As American as a banana milkshake? Or
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As American as double chocolate banana bread? Or
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As American as a banana pudding cheesecake?!
Regardless of which you’d choose, today is National Banana Day, so any - or all - of the above are appropriate food choices, as are the rest of the suggestions in this twelve-recipe roundup. So head to the kitchen and whip up something delicious with America’s most popular fruit!
1. Banana Milkshake from Lemons for Lulu
From the website: These yummy and filling banana shakes are a wonderful blend of ripe banana flavor and ice cream in every sip. Similar to an ice cream sundae, only better! We like to swirl the inside of our drinking glasses with caramel sauce to really take the flavors up a notch but even swapping the ice cream for chocolate flavor can have a real impact on these shakes and turn them into a creative new drink too!
2. Upside Down Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Caramel Frosting from The Gourmet Gourmand
From the website: This banana dessert is another easy but fancy recipe that is sure to impress. (I think I’m going to make easy-but-fancy a new motto of mine).
3. Baked Banana Donuts with Brown Butter Glaze from Lifestyle of a Foodie
From the website: These baked banana donuts with brown butter glaze are gonna change your mind about baked donuts! They are made with overripe bananas, baked to perfection, then topped with a silky smooth brown butter glaze to bring all the flavors together.
4. Dulce de Leche Banana Cake from Ana’s Baking Chronicles
From the website: This Dulce de leche Banana Cake is a dream come true! Rich and moist banana cake layers are filled with luscious dulce de leche and coated in the most beautiful vanilla bean frosting!
5. Banana Pudding Ice Cream from Ice Cream from Scratch
From the website: Just like your favorite old-fashioned pudding dessert, Banana Pudding Ice Cream is creamy and delicious with real bananas and crunchy vanilla wafer cookies inside. This is a Philadelphia style churned ice cream recipe, which means that it's egg-free, and easy to make.
6. Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites from Half Baked Harvest
From the website: Frozen Chocolate Covered Banana Bites, like a mini ice cream bar, but much simple and much healthier. These treats are so easy to make with only 3 core ingredients and zero baking, nothing not to love! Frozen banana slices with your favorite assortment of toppings, covered in chocolate, and finished with a dusting of flaky sea salt.
7. Banana Pudding Cheesecake from Butternut Bakery
From the website: This banana pudding cheesecake has it all! A creamy and sweet roasted banana cheesecake batter is baked inside a Nilla Wafer crust and is all topped with banana slices, vanilla pudding, and a mound of soft and fluffy whipped cream.
8. Dirty Banana Frozen Drink from Sugar and Soul
From the website: This is such a simple and fast drink to make and doesn’t require any technique. You’re just going to add all of your ingredients into a blender . . . and blend until smooth. Drizzle some extra chocolate syrup around your glass before pouring in your drink, then top with whipped cream and a cherry.
9. Double Chocolate Banana Bread from Creations By Kara
From the website: Double Chocolate Banana Bread . . . with both cocoa and chocolate chips, this banana bread is a chocolate lover’s dream! Every bite is decadent.
10. Fresh Banana Curd from I am Baker
From the website: Fresh homemade banana curd is one of the best desserts a banana lover can try! Only takes minutes to make and can be served with so many things. No need to turn on the oven when your bananas go brown, just make this easy peasy banana curd!
11. Banana Eclairs with Orange Blossom from Cardamom and Tea
From the website: There’s a lot of technical stuff involved in éclair baking, but I’ve included all the important details in the recipe for orange blossom banana éclairs at the end of this post. So you should be able to tackle this project even if you’ve never worked with choux pastry before. It’s actually not as impossible as it seems . . .
12. Chocolate Tahini Swirl Banana Muffins from Olives and Thyme
From the website: These chocolate tahini swirl banana muffins are a fresh twist on the classic banana bread. perfect for weekend bakes, cake for breakfast and sweet afternoon snacks!