Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread

This is a wonderfully dark, rich and dense quick bread with just a hint of cinnamon.

Ingredients

• 1 1 / 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Large pinch salt
• 1 cup firm-packed light brown sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 / 4 cup vegetable oil (we used canola)
• 3 large ripe bananas, peeled and well mashed (1 1 / 2 cups mashed)
• 1 / 2 cup chopped nuts (we like walnuts)

Method

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease well a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Transfer to a piece of wax paper.

In the same bowl, beat the sugar, eggs and vegetable oil with an electric mixer on medium speed about3 minutes.

Add the dry ingredients alternately with the mashed bananas beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the nuts.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven 55 to 60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan about 5 minutes, then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. For even easier slicing, wrap and refrigerate the bread several hours or overnight. Makes 18 slices.