Banana Bread

I found this recipe on the Taste website and it had so many positive comments that I couldn't resist giving it a go myself. On the advice of the Taste comments, I changed one ingredient which was to substitute self raising flour for some of the plain flour to help it rise. Overall, the recipe is quite easy to make as well which is a total bonus!

1 cup self raising flour
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
2/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
100 g walnut crumbs (or chopped walnuts)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large over ripe bananas
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
100 g salt reduced or unsalted butter, melted & cooled

Preheat oven to 175 degrees and lightly grease a 11cm x 22cm loaf pan. Line with baking paper leaving 2cm of paper overhanging each side to easily pull loaf out afterwards.
Sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder, soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a bowl with the sugar, then add nuts.
In a separate bowl, mash the bananas, then stir in the eggs, vanilla extract and cooled melted butter. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are just combined, don't overmix.
Scrape cake batter into prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool loaf in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire rack.
Will keep for 3-4 days in an airtight container or frozen in individual slices for up to 1 month.

Result - Delicious!! The banana bread is moist and the crust is crunchy, would be lovely toasted with some butter as a snack. Some other suggestions to the recipe are to add an extra banana or use extra large eggs for additional moisture or even substitute chocolate chips for the nuts which may make it a hit for the kids!

Source - Kate Nichols for Delicious Magazine, September 2007 (viewed on taste.com.au)