Nana’s Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom only of 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Beat butter in large bowl with an electric mixer set at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add mashed banana, and beat on high speed 30 seconds.
3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream, ending with flour mixture. Add walnuts to batter; mix well.
4. Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake until browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
5. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Slice and serve with butter and jam.

Notes

Grandma’s secrets: Nana always thought that quick breads tasted better the day after they’re baked. As soon as the loaf was cool, she would wrap it up in plastic wrap and leave it out on the counter overnight to let the flavors develop. The next morning she’d slice it and serve it for breakfast with butter and her own homemade jam.

From a printed recipe (Grandma’s Kitchen: Treasured Family Recipes (MMI Publications International / International Masters Publishers) — Old-Fashioned Breads card 10) kept in Rosie Lee’s recipe box.

Rosie Lee’s original recipe cards

Tap the card to see it full size.