My Aunt Mary gave me a book of hand written recipes after I graduated from high school that included many family favorites. It is one of my most treasured recipe books and it houses this favorite recipe.
Banana Bread
Pre-heat oven to 350 and prep your loaf pans with butter and flour. Yeilds either 3 small loaves or 2 large loaves.
1 1/2 sticks margarine (I always use butter)
1 cup sugar
3 small eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 to 3 ripe bananas (mine are always thawed, after I have stashed them in the freezer for safe keeping)
1 3/4 cup flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
3/4 cup buttermilk
optional: 3/4 cup walnuts, pecan or chocolate chips – which is my take on it!
Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Then , beat in one egg at a time. Add the vanilla and bananas and beat for 2 minutes.
In another bowl, Stir (I sift) together the flour, baking soda and baking powder.
Alternate between adding the flour mixture and buttermilk to the sugar mixture until combined. Fold in your nuts or chips.
Bake for 40 minutes for small loaves or 50-60 for large loaves. Test with a toothpick to be sure the breads are completely cooked.
Note: I always have problems with the chips falling to the bottom of the pans as they settle and cook. Maybe that’s because I use big chips… so mini chips might work better. I have also tried dusting the chips with flour before I folded them in and that didn’t really work either. Regardless, it is a great banana bread!
