They say when life gives you lemons, you should make lemonade. But, what do you do when life gives you brown bananas? Bake banana bread, of course! With a hint of spice and an abundance of nuts, this recipe is hearty enough to pair with a strong cup of coffee, and so scrumptious that these loaves will disappear fast, leaving only a few tasty crumbs behind. Go bananas!
Ingredients
- 3 Large Bananas
- 1-1/4 cups White Sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter or Margarine, softened
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1/3 cup Whole Milk
- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 2-1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Soda
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Ground Allspice
- 1 cup Walnuts, coarsely chopped
Directions
- Move oven rack down one notch lower than the center, so that the top of your loaves will sit in the middle of the oven.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Place four small aluminum loaf pans* on a baking sheet, and coat with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, mash peeled bananas.
- Add sugar, butter or margarine, eggs, milk, and vanilla, and mix until well blended.
- Add flour, baking soda, salt, and allspice, and thoroughly blend into wet mixture.
- Add 3/4 cup of the chopped walnuts, and stir to incorporate into batter.
- Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pans. Each should be about 3/4 full.
- Sprinkle remaining walnuts on the top of the loaves, and gently pat into the batter, just enough to make sure they stick.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40-50 minutes, until a knife or toothpick inserted through the center of a loaf comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a baking rack to cool. Ensure that the loaves have cooled to room temperature before wrapping.
*You can use one large loaf pan instead. Just increase the baking time by about 10 minutes. However, making this recipe in smaller loaves means it’s easier to share!
Sneaky trick: Why do I reserve some of the walnuts to sprinkle on the top? First, the nuts on the top of the loaf stay nice and crunchy, and even get a little toasted, adding a great complementary texture to the soft loaf. Second, the visible nuts are a big red flag for anyone who is allergic to nuts or wears loose fitting dentures, preventing them from getting an unpleasant surprise when they bite into a piece. I’m thoughtful like that.