This bread fits my family perfectly. We’re all either bananas or nuts. Really. A family get-together with all of us is like being in the middle of a comedy show. I have the two most adorable, entertaining granchildren you could imagine. They are always saying or doing something hilarious. For example, today Mag, the three-year-old, said to her Mama that she wanted to watch “I’m a single lettuce.” Translation (all the) Single Ladies. Bananas, I’m telling you. Every one of us.
Banana Nut Bread is quite a versatile thing. It’s great for breakfast with a hot cup of coffee. It’s a good afternoon snack with a cup of tea. I also serve it occasionally for dessert with some sweetened, whipped cream cheese. One of my favorite old restaurants which is now, sadly, out of business always served a slice of banana nut bread with their chicken salad and fresh fruit plate. A fantastic combination.
This recipe for Banana Nut Bread makes a very moist, sweet loaf. It’s easy to make and uses ingredients that are easy to find in any grocery store…nothing fancy, but so, so good.
2 cups sugar
½ cup butter
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 ½ tsp soda
2/3 cup buttermilk
3 ripe bananas, well mashed
½ cup chopped pecans
pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Grease and flour two loaf pans and set aside.
Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, then beat until fluffy.
Gradually add flour. The batter will become rather thick, but you’re going to fix that in the next step. Just keep going!
Add the soda to the buttermilk and stir together well. With the mixer at low speed, slowly add the buttermilk to the sugar-flour mixture.
Mash the bananas thoroughly. I use a fork to do this, but you can use a potato masher if you’d like. Hint: if your bananas are not quite completely ripe, put them in the microwave for about 20 seconds and they’ll soften right up.
Add the mashed bananas to batter. Mix at low speed until well incorporated. Stir in nuts, salt and vanilla.
Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake at 300 for approximately 1 hour. Makes 2 loaves.
Enjoy!
Download a printable copy here.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
This bred looks moist and delicious. great picks too:)
Nothing beats a good ol’ banan bread. I’ll take a slice with a dollop of butter. An after dinner snack. lol.
Mmmm, banana bread. I was looking at 3 ripe bananas just this evening, and told my husband he was going to score some banana bread tomorrow. He loves it!
Lana, I am glad to see that I’m not the only person who realizes that you don’t have to use over-ripe bananas (a.k.a. rotten) to make banana bread. I never liked banana bread before.
I’ve used the over-ripe ones many times, but I prefer them before they get to the blackened peel stage
I love everything with bananas, esp in desserts. It gives such a natural sweetness and yet lovely flavour. I haven’t tried banana bread yet. Hope to try soon.
I just adore banana nut bread, I could have a slice every morning for breakfast
I think that I have already told you that this was one of your Daddy’s favorites. Polly was famous for it when I was growing up. He was always glad when she make it. Your receipt looks a lot like I remember hers. Looks yummy with a cup of coffee or tea.
Sorry Mama Neena – Polly’s was made with a box mix from the Jewel Tea Company. She loved those things.
Miss P
It is amazing that she could hide that fact. How did you find out?????
I remember that she told me. And, I recall seeing the box. At least that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Miss P
I love bananas in any kind of baked good. Loafs, cakes, muffins even cookies. I really like adding something tart like cranberries to balance the sweetness.
Ahhh mouth watering. My hubby is trying to perfect his banana nut bread recipe and I just sent this to him…..
! Can’t wait!
hey, when my bananas are getting so that they’re a little riper than I like for eating.. I chuck them in the freezer, where they wait for the day I need to make banana bread! Always a ready supply, and bananas are never wasted!
I always seem to have extra bananas around the apartment and so banana bread is always my go to – this looks delicious!