This is my all-time favorite recipe for banana bread, so I never make any other kind! The combination of whole-wheat flour, butter, and nuts makes a denser, moister loaf that freezes well. Like most fruit-nut breads, this one cuts cleaner and tastes better if cooled completely, wrapped in plastic wrap, and served the next day . . . although we can never wait that long at my house!
1/2 C. butter or margarine, melted
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
3 medium bananas (1 C. mashed)
1 C. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. whole-wheat flour
1/3 C. hot water
3/4 C. chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 325º. Blend sugar into melted butter/margarine. Mix in the eggs and mashed bananas until smooth. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking soda, and whole-wheat flour alternately with the hot water. Stir in nuts. Bake in a sprayed/greased 9 x 5” loaf pan for an hour and ten minutes—or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Kitchen hint: This makes a dozen wonderful muffins, too—which shortens the baking time to about 15-20 minutes. Or, for smaller loaves, pour the batter into two 8x 4” pans and bake about 45 minutes, or until that pick comes out clean.