Banana Bread

Bread made from bananas: it's good for the soul.. It's a simple quickbread, but a really good banana bread is hard to find. I've been tweaking my recipe for years and always get great feedback from friends who try it. I have to admit, though, Sugar Cafe was a wake up call for me because their banana bread is the only one I've tasted that is clearly superior to homemade. Still, one can't pay $2 for a muffin every day. Here's a tweaked, one bowl, no fuss, no stand mixer version of the Chez Pei classic.

1/2 cup olive oil, any type
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 c. all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 dash each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and/or cardamom
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped

Whisk together the oil and sugar until well combined. Let this sit while you preheat your oven to 350 degrees, mash up your bananas, and toast the nuts. Lightly grease a loaf pan.

Take your sugar and oil mixture and whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Sift in the dry ingredients, folding as you go. While you still have a few patches of dry flour left, add the bananas and nuts and fold gently just until you don't see any more dry flour. Pour into prepared loaf pan, and put in the oven for 50-60 minutes. Because ovens vary, I would say start checking at the 40 minute mark and remove as soon as a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. This is a very moist bread, and you don't want to dry it out!

Let cool in the pan for five or ten minutes until it's cool enough to handle, then flip the loaf out onto a rack to cool. I like thick slices served with a cup of milk or tea; it's a great breakfast or snack!

And for those keeping track, yes, that's my kitchen wall, and it's beautiful sage green! Three cheers for being close to done.