No one will suspect that this wonderful bread is also healthful: eggs, milk, and nuts provide plenty of protein and bananas contribute fiber in a bread that tastes almost good enough to be cake. One half cup of whole-wheat flour also can be substituted for one half cup of all-purpose flour to add even more fiber to the recipe. More than one half cup of whole wheat flour is not recommended as it will make the bread heavier and less like cake in its consistency.
Serve Banana Nut Bread With Breakfast, Lunch, or as Dessert
This versatile bread tastes great with omelets at breakfast, accompanying soup or salad with lunch, or (with chocolate chips added to the batter) served as dessert with hot tea or coffee drinks. Using the all-purpose flour mixture, the consistency is just filling enough to complement other dishes or make a sweet treat following a meal. When substituting a portion of the all-purpose flour with the heavier whole-wheat flour, do not add the chocolate chips or serve as dessert. The heavier consistency goes better with meals and will fill up stomachs faster than the lighter flour.
If doubling the recipe, it’s easy to make two and freeze one for later use. This bread comes out of the freezer as delicious as it goes in. When freezing, wait for bread to cool first, then immediately wrap in wax paper (to avoid stickiness when defrosting) and surround the loaf with airtight aluminum foil.
Easy Banana Nut Bread:
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ cup butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3)
- ½ cup crushed pecans (or substitute walnuts or other favorite nut)
- ½ cup chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar together.
3. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat thoroughly.
4. Add milk and mashed bananas. Blend until smooth.
5. Add dry ingredients to mixture: flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
6. Add chopped nuts (and chocolate chips, if desired). Mix all ingredients together until evenly blended.
7. Spoon mixture into greased loaf pan and bake until bread is lightly browned (about 70 minutes).
8. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing from pan. Then place loaf on cooling rack until ready to serve.
Serves 6-8
For more recipes, read Two Quick and Easy Coffee Cakes and Cranberry Side Dishes.
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