Banana Bread

This is absolutely my favorite banana bread.  My family has been making it for years.  It's super moist and gets better the next day.  Enjoy this delicious bread with coffee or tea.  Can be iced with a cream cheese frosting but I just like it plain.  Great as a snack to pack in lunches. 

Banana Bread

WET:
2 1/2  sticks unsalted butter

2 1/3 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
5 over ripe, pureed ripe bananas

Dry:
3 1/2 cups all purpose bread flour
pinch salt
2 tsp baking soda

4 large whole eggs at room temp (beaten) set a side
optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:
Prepare pans with butter and flour or a non stick spray, use  (3 - 1 qt loaf pans) or use a 10 x 12 aluminum pan with 2 inch sides.

Melt the butter and add the sugar. Mix for a few minutes until sugar starts to dissolve. Add pureed bananas and vanilla.  

Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and nuts. Stir into the butter/sugar mixture.

Add beaten whole eggs to batter and mix well.  

Spoon the batter into the prepared pans. Fill pans no more than 3/4 full.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until baked through. Can do toothpick test.  I made this bread in different ovens, and temperature times varied greatly.  Use your judgement. 

Remove from pans after 15 minutes of cooling.  Place on cooling rack.