Banana Nut Bread

Sometimes if you just ask, you get. When I mentioned wanting a banana nut bread recipe for a bread as moist as that at Starbucks, my bonus granddaughter spoke up, offered, and here it is. I like to make it, slice it, wrap the slices in cling film individually, and eat them at breakfast – buttered and toasted, of course. The bananas and nuts really ramp up the nutritional contribution; you could use whole wheat or rye bread and bump up the fiber. Have at it!!!

INGREDIENTS

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see NOTES)
1-1/2 cups sugar (see NOTES)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed (see NOTES)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp buttermilk (see NOTES)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

Preheat your oven to 325° F. Grease a 9″ x 5″ x 3″ loaf pan.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

In another mixing bowl, combine the eggs, mashed bananas, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla.

Add the ‘wet’ ingredients to the flour mixture, stirring until just combined.

Fold in the walnuts.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and give it a shake to level it up.

Bake in your 325° oven for one hour and 20 minutes.

Allow to cool before slicing.

NOTES

If you choose to use whole wheat or rye flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flours, and 3/4 cup of the whole wheat or rye.

If you want to cut back on the sugar, use a 1-1 sugar substitute. It will work just as well.

Use 2 bananas if they are somewhat larger; 3 if they are somewhat smaller. I like to use my pastry cutter to mash the bananas; they ten to become more liquid the more you mash. Then, when I add the eggs and other wet ingredients, I like to use a large whisk, which really allows full incorporation of the banana into the other ingredients.

If you don’t have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of milk, and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes. This will work in place of buttermilk.