We love Banana Bread

 I love banana bread.  These beautiful loaves are ready for gifting (with a few leftover for our freezer).

There's nothing better with a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter morning.  This bread has a moist crumb. You can add nuts to your loaves if you like (we don't), but this bread is delicious either way.  Make sure your bananas are very ripe and check for "done-ness" about 10 minutes before the specified time.  You don't want your bread dried out.

Bonnie’s Banana Bread

Makes One Loaf

½ cup of butter

1 cup of granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 cup of very ripe mashed bananas

¼ cup of buttermilk

2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder

½ teaspoon of baking soda

¼ teaspoon of salt

½ cup of chopped nuts (optional)

Pre-heat the oven to 350º F.

Grease and flour one 8x4x3-inch loaf pan or use four small loaf pans.

Cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated.  Add the bananas and buttermilk.  Sift the dry ingredients and add to the mixture.  Fold in nuts if using them. 

Bake for one hour, checking with a toothpick at 50 minutes.  Decrease time for smaller pans (about 30 minutes).  Let cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack,  and then turn out of the pans onto the rack to cool . Cool completely before slicing with a serrated knife.

This bread is best eaten one day after it's made.