How to make
Preparing the ingredients: Put the butter in a deep and narrow container and put it on the stove on medium heat to come to a boil. Leave it to boil until it darkens a little.
Sift the 2 types of flour, mix them together and to them add the cinnamon, vanilla, baking soda, citric acid and salt. Knead well.
Bake the bananas for several minutes in a preheated oven or microwave, take them out, peel them and mash them well with a fork. If the bananas are over-ripened to a mush, skip this last step. Heat the kefir (or yoghurt) on low on the stove, while stirring - it needs to become very hot but must not come to a boil.
Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer. Add the eggs (at room temperature) and bananas, while continuing to beat until homogeneous. Add a few tablespoons of the dry mixture, while continuing to knead with a hand whisk. Once you've added half of the flour, pour in the yoghurt and then continue adding flour until it's all in there. Don't beat too hard with the hand whisk, just stir a little so the mixture doesn't harden.
If desired, you can add a handful of raisins that have been soaked in rum or cognac and then rolled in a little flour.
Pour the mixture into an oiled and lightly floured form or round baking dish, if you don't have a suitable rectangular one.
Bake in a preheated 360°F (180 °C) oven until a toothpick comes out dry when you poke the banana bread. Take it out, invert it after a few min. and let it cool on a cooking grid.
Note: The preparation of the ingredients ahead of time is done with the intent of increasing the strength of the aromas. The whole wheat flour harmonizes with all of the ingredients surprisingly well and the cake itself remains fluffy after being taken out of the oven. For best results, follow all of the steps, don't skip any of them.
The final result is an exceptionally aromatic, juicy and fluffy cake, from which a fragrance of bananas, cinnamon and vanilla permeates throughout the entire home.
The recipe isn't designed for any specific holiday but I think it makes for a superb addition to a Christmas or New Year's Party.
