Banana Bread for the Fair

 I usually make Blue - or even Purple ribbon Banana Bread! It is a favorite treat, fresh from the oven or one of the loaves I've tucked away in the freezer. EXCEPT - when trying to bake a loaf to take to the County Fair! Each batch wasn't up to my usual product, so after adding 4 loaves to the stash in the freezer, I just chose one. It turned out to be a Red ribbon, that's 2nd place in Open Class divisions.
Some of the special care I was taking seemed to be working against me, here's some of what I learned...One batch I made with all butter instead of the half butter,  half margarine I usually use. This batch browned much faster - too dark for the fair but good in the freezer! I am always careful not to over oil or spray too much Pam on the pan so the batter won't fry up the sides and make a crisp fried edge. So, I carefully blotted the excess out with a paper towel... too much. The bottom peeled off the first loaf I turned out of the pan - still stuck to the pan... into the freezer!
One tip I did try that was an improvement was to roast the bananas before using them in the batter. My recipe uses 4 bananas, I placed them (whole and unpeeled) on a foil lined baking pan, after pricking the skins with a fork at 1-inch intervals, in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. After they cooled it was simple to cut off one end and squeeze the banana into the batter. Almost like a tube of toothpaste. The flavor is sweeter as the natural sugar in the banana caramelizes. Of course this only works with fresh or slightly aged bananas. Usually I have a supply of previously aged bananas (thats ripened beyond eating stage) that I've peeled, mashed and bagged into 4-banana packets in the freezer. This frozen supply is great for making Banana Bread when bananas aren't setting on your counter. My other successful trick is fresh pecans. Every fall I buy several pounds of pecans from a KSU research farm in SE Kansas that we shell and store in the freezer. They really make a taste difference!
This recipe is the moistest, tastiest I've found. It is from Taste of Home 2008 recipes.

Special Banana Nut Bread

¾ cup butter, softened

1 package (8 0z) cream cheese, softened

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cups chopped pecans, divided

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, add to creamed mixture. Fold in 1 cup pecans.

Transfer to two greased 8 inch x 4 inch x 2 inch loaf pans. Sprinkle with remaining pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 ¼ hours or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

In a small bowl, whisk the glaze ingredients, drizzle over loaves.