This morning, re-publishing a favorite recipe from the archives — it’s about that time…! Planning to make this tomorrow with some last-leg bananas. Mood for the week, via John Steinbeck: “The main thing is not to hurry. Nothing good gets away.” Such a great reassurance for a rainy day, whether you interpret it as “what’s meant for you will not miss you” or “I don’t want to lose what I love.”

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I’ve been making this banana bread for fifteen years, after discovering it on Molly Wizenberg’s Orangette blog (remember it?!) circa 2009. I made it and promptly decided I did not need to try another banana bread recipe for the rest of my life. It has a delicate, almost cake-like crumb, unbelievable moistness, and a winning piece de resistance: a cinnamon crumble topping. This is a banana bread we make in our house year-round, but autumn beckons repeat performances given its warm spices.

I’m sharing the recipe below with some modest adaptations from Wizenberg’s original, which was itself an adaptation of a banana loaf that originated in an Oakland, CA bakery called Bakesale Betty, whose recipe ran in a 2008 Bon Appetit issue. You will likely have all the ingredients on hand, and I implore you to make it this week!

*The plate above is from John Derian’s Halloween collection with Target from a few years ago. My children are obsessed with these — they’re melamine, and therefore kid-proof! — and they always fight over the plate with the biggest spider on it. WS has a similar style here.

Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread.

For the bread:

 1.5 cups all-purpose flour

 1 cup sugar

 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

 1 tsp. baking soda

 ½ tsp. salt

 1-1.5 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3-4 medium bananas)

 2 large eggs

 ½ cup canola oil

 ¼ cup honey

 ¼ cup water

For the crumble topping:

 2 Tbsp. sugar

 1 tsp. ground cinnamon

 2 ½ Tbsp. packed brown sugar (I use whatever I have on hand — light or dark)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350° F and move the rack to the middle position.

This recipe yields an unconventional amount of batter. Molly’s recipe calls for a 9×5″ loaf pan but most of us will have only 8×4″ loaf pans. Personally, over many years of trial and error, I make exactly seven muffins’ worth and then pour the rest into my 8×4″ pan and it bakes to perfection. This means that my children can enjoy the recipe in muffin form (easier to transport into snack/lunchboxes or on the go), and Mr. Magpie and I can make our way through the loaf. So, I line a muffin tin with exactly seven liners, and then I grease an 8×4″ pan (I really love this one from Williams-Sonoma – bakes very evenly; I did notice that they make this pan in 9×5″ dimensions if you want to just have one loaf, though!). I know this is a lot of fuss about pans but trust me — do not pour all the batter into an 8×4″ pan because it will collapse!

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mash up the bananas to a pulp — really use some elbow grease! — because I find the more fully mashed the banana, the better the result. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, eggs, oil, honey, and water. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and stir well. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin(s).

In a small bowl, mix together the topping ingredients. Sprinkle them evenly over the batter. Use every last bit of the sugar mix, even if you think it’s going to be too much.

The muffins (if you’ve used my “sidecar muffin” approach) will take about 20-22 minutes to bake. The loaf will take about an hour, give or take a little. If the topping starts to burn or look too brown, tent the tin with a bit of foil over top — this enables the bread to continue to cook without burning the crust.

Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Post-Scripts.

+Getting back into baking after a hiatus with young children.

+”Life rearranges itself to compensate for our losses.” What a beautiful sentiment.

+A favorite cocktail — this will make a mezcal lover out of its skeptics.

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Shopping Break.

+OK, still not over this sleek and chic satin shirtdress from TB. And from the sale section: a puffer vest with a twist. I was actually just thinking about how much wear I get out of my puffer vest. I’m always just a LITTLE cold and need just a LITTLE extra. I have been wearing a fleece lined from Dudley Stephens they no longer make a lot the past few weeks. Other options I’m into: this Herno, this Tuckernuck, this J. Crew.

+If you’re looking for something a little slimmer-profile, I just saw an interesting reel this week saying that all the Danish girls wear these super-lean and compact vests beneath their jackets — warmth sans bulk. Note that you can alter the neckline / clip the sides in to a v-neck shape if you are layering beneath a v-neck! It’s $59!!! I am ordering. Also like this Varley take.

+We love a structured shirtdress.

+20% off at Jenni Kayne — including dreamy fair isle and this sweater coat I keep coming back to.

+Back to Dudley Stephens for a sec: they are running a special ten-year celebration and offering 25% off some of their core collection with code 10FOR10. Their fleece turtlenecks are iconic but I have been getting so, so much wear out of this waffle pullover!

+Designer close-out buys: this longline Veronica Beard blazer (!!! – pair with black leather pants!), this Bottega wallet!

+Cord patch pocket lady jacket. So crisp with jeans!

+Lake holiday is here. I absolutely love these kimono sets.

+How FAB is this quilted coat?

+WOWZA, talk about a deluxe Advent calendar.

+Great stripes.

+These patterned sherpa fleeces for littles!

+Love a slouchy mockneck sweatshirt. Gah! This one is perfect.

+A perfect Santa’s sack — for transporting gifts and goodies from home to home this season.

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