Today's Banana Bread, Orange Poppy

Genesis

I dunno, I bought poppy seeds. We got oranges in our CSA.

To Prepare

Start melting half a stick of butter from the freezer.

Dump vaguely similar amounts of flour into one bowl and sugar into another. Actually this is the end of that bag of whole wheat flour but you saw that coming and ordered more a couple weeks ago. Probably it’s healthier to add more flour than sugar, right?

I read a few recipes online and they all emphasize mixing in the orange zest to the sugar before making the cake. So I mean, go for it. I tried it but not like in a scientific way where I made another cake with the same ingredients but didn’t mash up the orange zest until the sugar was orange.

Also because the microplane is out, put in some ginger and maybe 1/4 of a tonka bean. MMmmmm… Illegal beans.

Then Vaughnda plays that Cibo Matto song about baking a cake where the refrain is like “Extra sugar! Extra salt! Extra oil and MSG!” Add a dash of MSG.

Add salt and baking soda to the flour and get Vaughnda to mix it.

Add some yogurt, olive oil, splash of vanilla, and the melted butter to the orange sugar. Use a whisk? I’m sure a spoon would have been fine, but you you know, cream it. Also, taste that shit. It’s kind of magical, no?

Whisk in three eggs to your orange goo.

Add some poppy seeds to the dry stuff, mix again, and combine the wet ingredients. Pour a little fresh squeezed orange juice in. Now it’s too runny. Add some flour. It’s probably good!

Pre-heat the oven and let the batter sit for a little.

Lightly oil a loaf pan and bake at 350 for about 60 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Make the most of your time: wash the dishes, vacuum a little… it’s friday night!

Critical Praise For Orange Poppy Seed Banana Bread

• “It’s Great.” – Vaughnda

• “That was good cake. I want another piece.” (six minutes later)

• 8/10. A little dry, and I probably should’ve baked it 5 minutes less as the crust is a touch thick. The flour and baking process really tamps down the “magical orange creamsicle” flavor of just the wet ingredients. (but also I still don’t have my full taste back from the covids so honestly it’s hard to tell. Vaughnda says it’s super orangey.)

• I just vacuumed, but I feel like there’s going to be a lot of little poppy seeds on the floor in the next day or two.