Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans and set them aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this mixture aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add the mashed bananas and stir gently to combine the wet ingredients.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until everything is completely blended. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Divide the batter evenly into the two prepared loaf pans.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If the tops of the loaves start to get too dark before the center is done, cover them loosely with foil.
- Allow the loaves to cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Then, turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store the cooled bread wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap the bread first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Notes
If you use only one 9-inch loaf pan instead of two 8-inch pans, the baking time will increase. Check the center around 55 minutes, but it may need more time.
Use the ripest bananas you can find; they should have brown spots. Riper bananas make sweeter and moister bread.
Walnuts are traditional, but you can substitute pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, or peanuts. You can also omit the nuts for nut-free bread.
Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for extra flavor, adjusting to your taste.
You can add chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips, or butterscotch chips.
Dried fruit like raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, or apple chunks work well as additions.
To make muffins, fill paper-lined muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake about 18 muffins at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.