Banana Nut Bread

 
I had some over-ripe bananas that needed using up and so I decided to make a banana bread with them. I have baked many banana breads on here, all of them very good.  Today I decided to go back to my tried, true and trusted recipe.
It is a recipe from my old Purity Cook Book.   This is a cookbook I have had since the late 1970's. It has withstood the test of time and traveled with me all over the world. 

How can you tell that a cookbook is a good one.  Other than trying the recipes you can tell a cookbook is a really good one by looking at it. If it's all tattered and torn  . . . if the pages are all splattered with time.
The pages well worn and almost falling apart . . .  then you know that you have a winner of  a cookbook on your hands.  This book is a winner of a cookbook. 
 
I have been baking this particular banana bread for about 40 years now. It has no bells and whistles. It is not overly sweet.  Its quite plain.
It is moist and delicious however, filled with lots of banana flavor and plenty of chopped nuts. In short, a real winner of a banana bread.

   Another one of my favorite banana breads is the Sour Cream Banana Loaf I always baked for the Mr. when I worked at the Manor.   
He loved it sliced and toasted until golden brown and spread with oodles of sweet butter.  Another good banana bread recipe I bake is this one which comes from a cookbook called Bread by Dean Brettschneider.  It has oats scattered across the top.
 
I also have a few smaller recipes such as this Banana Nut Loaf for Two.  It is perfectly sized for the smaller family. 
This Marbled Banana Bread is also a real favorite.   It is a Cooking Light Recipe and is marbled through with ribbons of chocolate batter. Yum!!
 
As I said up top, this banana bread has no bells and  whistles. There is nothing spectacular about it.  Its just a simple banana bread.
And you are going to love it.  I can promise you.  If you are a fan of simple things, then you will be a fan of this.
 
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BANANA NUT BREAD
Ordinary simple kitchen ingredients. Nothing spectacular outside of the ripe bananas.

•  2 cups (280g) all purpose plain flour
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped nuts
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (3 bananas) mashed bananas (very ripe)

  
The right kind of bananas you need for a banana bread are bananas that have gone past their best eating stage. You want a banana with a skin that is well peppered with brown discolorations. The browner the better. 
The riper the banana the sweeter it is.  Don't ever throw an over-ripe banana away! They are perfect for baking with!  Cakes, loaves, cookies . . .  
 
HOW TO MAKE BANANA NUT BREAD 
Preheat the oven to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper with an overhang on two sides for ease of lifting out the baked loaf.

Whisk the flour, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the nuts. (You can toast the nuts first if you wish.  To toast them, spread your nuts out on a baking sheet and pop them into a moderate oven. (350*F/180*C) 8 to 10 minutes will do it.  Let cool before using. 

 
Whisk together the mashed banana, milk, oil, and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and mix both together just to combine. Batter will be lumpy.

Turn into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and run a knife down the middle. 

This is a really good, simple banana bread. I love to enjoy it cut into thick slices and spread with butter.  Real butter.  I am betting it would also be great spread with Nutella, if you like Nutella.
Toasted, spread with butter or creamed honey.  Again, delicious.
Because the bread is not overly sweet any number of toppings go very well with it. It also goes great in a bread pudding  if it happens to go stale.  You can sprinkle chocolate chips amongst the bread for this lush dessert. Its fabulous served warm with some vanilla ice cream on top!
In any case the next time you have some ripe bananas that need using up I highly recommend this simple Banana Nut bread. You can't go wrong!
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Banana Nut Bread

Yield: 1 (9 X 5 X 3) loafAuthor: Marie RaynerPrep time: 10 MinCook time: 1 H & 10 MTotal time: 1 H & 20 MDelicious old fashioned. No bells and whistles. Not too sweet. Just perfect.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (280g) all purpose plain flour
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (60g) finely chopped nuts
• 1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
• 3/4 cup (180ml) milk
• 1/4 cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups (3 bananas) mashed bananas

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/ 180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 5 X 3 inch loaf tin and line with baking paper with an overhang on two sides for ease of lifting out the baked loaf.
2. Whisk the flour, soda, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the nuts.
3. Whisk together the mashed banana, milk, oil, and egg. Add to the dry ingredients and mix both together just to combine. Batter will be lumpy.
4. Turn into the prepared pan. Smooth the top and run a knife down the middle.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 65 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

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