Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Honestly this is not my traditional recipe, but I have been in a stage of nostalgia when it comes to wanting a good loaf of banana nut.  When I was little they looked like bricks and were moist and filled with an over abundance of that oh so yummy perfectly ripened banana flavor.  So when having noticed 3 ripe bananas I thought to myself here is your chance.  I knew I was looking for a very basic recipe when I started to research.  Do not forget though just because it doesn't have 100 ingredients and a 5 step process does not mean that the quality is not there.  Sometimes its the simple things in life that hold the most punch.  

Just like every other banana bread recipe you start by mixing your dry ingredients.  

2 Cups/220g of Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp Salt

1tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

You can just stir them with a fork to make sure they are incorporated together.

Then with my three ripe bananas I went ahead and got them peeled, put in a bowl and they were ripe enough I stirred them with a spoon to get them all mashed up.  

Go ahead and add your 1/4 tsp vanilla extract here as well.  

In another bowl add your softened 2 sticks of butter.  You can even cut the butter down to one stick in this recipe but I am going for flavor, not to cut out calories.  To that add your 1 cup of sugar.  Beat on medium speed until you have a smooth mixture.  When you have that done go ahead and take your beaters out of the mixer and place in the sink.  You do not want to over-mix this recipe and leaving that on the counter just makes you want to take the easy way out!  Stir in one at a time your two large eggs.  Do not add the 2nd one until you have fully incorporated the first one.   Then add 2 TB buttermilk, and your mashed up bananas and vanilla.    

Once you have your wet ingredients all in the bowl add your dry ingredients, as well as your cup of chopped walnuts.  Do not try to roast your walnuts before you place them in the batter.  They will cook throughout the baking, and you do not want bitter walnuts by overcooking them.  Stir the wet ingredients just until you are about to loose sight of all of the flour and to that add 1 diced up banana, idea courtesy of Ty.  This banana can be fresh because you want it to hold up to the baking to add just that extra kick of banana once you break the bread and devour.  

Moving on to the pan.  I prepare my pans by spraying them with bakers joy.  I swear by this product.  I have never had anything stick in anything when using this flour based spray.  Pour your batter in the pan and slightly tap it on the counter to even out the batter.  If you are using ceramic you know the breaking point so don't be to rough.  Once that is done I like to add 1/4 cup chopped pecans, 2 TB old fashioned oats and 1/2 TB cinnamon to the top of the mixture.  This is a fast way to get that aroma to fill your house.  Plus it makes the top of the bread look beautiful.

 Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes.  It will take every bit of that too.  You will notice it darkening around the edges but do not let that scare you.  You are caramelizing the sugar in those ripe bananas to give this bread its wonderful sweet tender outer crust.  Once out of the oven let it cool about 15 minutes before trying to dump it out of the pan.  This bread is a flat top bread.  It is heavy and dense with all of the moisture so it can be turned out of the pan to cool with out worrying about flattening the  top.   Once you can handle the bread you can wrap it in saran wrap until you are ready to serve.  This locks in the moisture and keeps it from staling as quickly.

Once you cut into the loaf you will notice first off how moist it is and the chunks of the fresh banana you added.   The smell is sweet with hints of roasted walnuts and cinnamon.  

For the little research I did I think I hit the nail on the head with this recipe.  It immediately brought me back to my childhood as soon as I first smelled the sweet aroma escaping from the oven.   The taste was even better.

Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread

Preheat Oven to 325

2 Cups / 220 g Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp Salt

1tsp Bakins Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

3 Ripe Bananas

1/4 tsp Vanilla

2 Sticks of Unsalted Butter

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

2 TB Buttermilk

1 Cup Chopped Walnuts (or pecans)

Topping

1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans

2 TB Old Fashioned Oats

1/2 TB Cinnamon

Just and extra tid bit of information and this is nothing official by no means just some calculations =)  Based upon a 10 piece loaf each slice will contain around 350 calories.  If you subtract the stick of butter I mentioned the calorie count will be around 270 per slice.  You can also use a cup for cup substitution with Splenda which would take the calorie count to 193 calories.