Best Banana Bread

By msippigrl

With or without nuts, this moist banana bread is the best I've had! Delicious with hot coffee for breakfast.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas, (3 - 4 medium)
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Scant 1 teaspoon salt
• Optional: 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans (I omitted)

Preparation

Step 1

Position oven rack so that tops of pans will be in center of oven then preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour bottoms of 2 loaf pans, 8-1/2x4-1/2x2-1/2 inches.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until creamed together. Beat in the eggs just until incorporated. Beat in the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in the nuts, if using. Divide the batter between the 2 prepared pans.

Bake loaves 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Loosen sides of bread from pans then remove to the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Wrap in foil and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.