Banana Bread

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour : 1 ¼ cup
• Baking soda : 1 tsp
• unsalted butter : 1/2 cup at room temperature
• Salt : ½ tsp (omit this if using salted butter)
• large eggs : 2 at room temperature
• vanilla extract : 1/2 tsp
• Sugar : 3/4-1 cup
• Very ripe bananas : 3, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
• Crushed walnut and broken cashews : 1/2 cup

Method:

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt (if using unsalted butter) into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together, set aside. Prepare the bread pan. Preheat the oven to 350 F/170 C.

With an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. The banana bread is best if served the next day.