Cooking With Gourmet Coffee

• 1-2 T butter or oil
• ¼ c sesame seeds
• 1 c strong black coffee
• 2 c ripe bananas, puréed
• 1½ c butter, softenened
• 1¾ c brown sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2½ t vanilla extract
• ½ t almond extract
• 1 t orange zest
• 4 c flour
• 1 t salt
• ½ t baking soda
• 1 T baking powder
• ½ t nutmeg
• 2 t cinnamon
• ¾ c chopped walnuts or pecans, optional

Preheat oven to 350º. Grease the pan(s) then sprinkle with sesame seeds and shake around until they stick.

Stir the coffee into the puréed bananas and set aside.

Beat butter and sugar together, then beat in eggs, one at a time. When fluffy, add vanilla, almond extract, and orange zest.

Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Gradually combine dry ingredients with the butter/eggs and banana/coffee mixture – don’t overmix. Stir in optional nuts.

Spread batter into pan(s) and bake for 35-50 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool for one hour before slicing.

Adapted from Molly Katzen’s New Moosewood Cookbook

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