The Absolute Best Way To Freeze And Store Banana Bread
There's nothing quite as delightful and comforting as a slice of banana bread. It's moist and sweet, but not too sweet. There's usually a hint of cinnamon that gives this baked good a bit of warmth. Many recipes for banana bread include a few tweaks to further enhance its flavor with the addition of nuts or chocolate chips. But, despite all of its deliciousness, it may be hard to eat an entire loaf before the bread goes bad.
That's why the freezer can be your best friend as far as preserving your banana bread goes. You want to lock in the bread's tenderness for future use, but you have to take care to avoid the potential hazards of using the freezer. No one likes the taste of freezer burn after all. The first step in freezing bread is to remember that air is the enemy. That's why you need to wrap up your banana bread twice before storing it in the freezer.
Keeping the air out is key
Carefully wrapping up your banana bread is the best way to protect it from freezer burn and from drying out. Before you're ready to wrap, however, make sure that the loaf has completely cooled. The first layer should be plastic wrap that has been tightly fitted around the loaf. (Some even suggest wrapping it in plastic wrap two times.) Then, use a layer of aluminum foil around the plastic wrap to help hold it in place. This way you'll be sure to keep the air away from your bread.
You should be able to enjoy banana bread for months to come if you follow these easy steps. No matter if you're wrapping an entire loaf or individual slices of bread, this method should be your go-to. So make sure to tightly wrap each piece individually twice. For added protection, you can put them into a freezer bag after wrapping. Simply remember to push all of the air out of the bag before sealing it.
Frozen bread thaws quickly
Remember to label your bread with the date it was made before placing it in the freezer. That way you'll be able to keep better track of how long it will last until it expires. Nothing lasts forever in the freezer, no matter how well-wrapped it is. And if you have some ripe bananas on your counter and no time to make bread, you can freeze those, too. Just mash the bananas and place them in a freezer bag. Be sure to squeeze out all of the air before closing the bag. Some experts even suggest that using frozen bananas makes for tastier banana bread!
Properly freezing your banana bread means that you'll always have some at the ready whenever you want it. It takes a few hours, typically between three and four, to fully defrost an entire loaf of banana bread, so make sure to plan ahead if time is of the essence. Alternatively, if you are working with individually wrapped frozen slices, these will only take around one or two hours to fully defrost. If push comes to shove and you're really strapped for time, you can always pop these slices in the microwave on a low setting to defrost them more quickly. After all, who wants to wait for a bite of homemade banana bread?