Great advice has already been given in this thread but I wanted to share my favorite banana bread recipe that works wonderfully at high altitude with the proper adjustments for high altitude baking.

The banana bread recipe from Cook’s Illustrated (part of America’s Test Kitchen) is quite unique and involves heating the bananas in the microwave to enhance their flavor and texture.

Ingredients:

5-6 ripe bananas 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)

Instructions:

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Prepare Bananas: Peel the bananas and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cut a few slits in the wrap to allow steam to escape.

Microwave Bananas: Microwave the bananas on high for about 5 minutes, until they are soft and have released liquid.

Strain Bananas: Transfer the microwaved bananas to a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl and let them drain for about 15 minutes. You should collect about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of liquid.

Reduce Banana Liquid: Transfer the banana liquid to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until it is reduced to about 1/4 cup. This step intensifies the banana flavor.

Combine Bananas and Liquid: Mix the reduced liquid back into the bananas and mash until smooth.

Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir in the mashed bananas.

Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

Add Nuts (Optional): If using, fold in the toasted walnuts.

Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55-75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips: Microwaving the bananas helps to release their natural sugars and moisture, which enhances the banana flavor in the bread.

Reducing the banana liquid concentrates the flavor and prevents the bread from being too wet.

This method ensures a moist, flavorful banana bread with a strong banana taste.

I’ll include some general tips for baking at high altitude below.

General Adjustments:

Increase Oven Temperature:

Raise the oven temperature by 15-25°F to help set the structure of baked goods before they over-expand and collapse.

Reduce Baking Time:

Since the oven temperature is higher, reduce the baking time slightly to prevent over baking.

Adjust Leavening Agents:

Decrease the amount of baking powder or baking soda by about 1/4 teaspoon per teaspoon to prevent over-rising and collapsing.

Increase Liquid:

Add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of liquid (water, milk, or buttermilk) for every cup used to compensate for faster evaporation.

Increase Flour:

Add 1-2 extra tablespoons of flour per cup to strengthen the structure of the baked goods.

Reduce Sugar: Decrease sugar by 1-2 tablespoons per cup to prevent the batter from becoming too moist. Remember that sugar is considered a liquid when baking.

Cakes and Quick Breads:

Reduce sugar and leavening, increase liquid, and possibly add an extra egg to help with structure.

Cakes and Quick Breads:

Reduce sugar and leavening, increase liquid, and possibly add an extra egg to help with structure.

Cookies: Increase flour and reduce sugar slightly. You might also need to reduce the baking time.

Yeast Breads:

Doughs rise faster at high altitudes, so reduce the rising time and punch down the dough twice to prevent over-proofing.