Ultimate Banana Nut Bread Recipe

I heart banana bread and have been making it for years. However, I think I finally came across the ultimate banana bread recipe. Usually I like mine warm with a little butter melted on top, but this one is perfect just as it is!

It's from the Food Network but I tweaked it for the sake of convenience: I used pecans instead of walnuts and it turned out GREAT! I don't know if it was the extra salt on the pecans or what, but I'm definitely doing that again. Also, if you want to make banana nut muffins instead of bread in a loaf pan, then use a muffin tin and bake for 19-20 mins at 350 degrees. 

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces (I used about 1 cup salted pecans)

Directions

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. (I spritzed my pan with Pam.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day. -No way! It's best as it's still warm from the oven!