I have tried many times to make banana bread. There have been so many recipes, and so many failures. It would be too hard, too mushy or take way too much time to cook all the way through. I had almost given up at trying.

I found this recipe while browsing through Food Network Kitchen. It got a five-star rating, and I was impressed as I read the directions, so I thought why not give it another try?

Finally! A recipe that was not only successful, but so full of wonderful flavor. Finger licking good!

I think the success of this recipe is a result of gently folding in the flour and nuts. This cake came out light and fluffy and each bite had tiny bits of banana giving it a delicious, rich flavor. It was lighter in color than most of the banana breads I had made before and so much softer and moister.

It is a winner! Trust me. Everything about this cake is just yummy. My family went “bananas” for it!

Ingredients for the Banana Walnut Bread

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup (1 stick) 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 of toasted walnut pieces

 

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.

Preheat oven to 350.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or 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 may appear to be curdled, it’s not, so don’t worry).

With a rubber spatula, fold 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 on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Take 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.

It’s that simple!