# Moist & Delicious Banana Nut Bread

> I got this recipe when I was 12 and have used it for the past 33 years and haven't found one better! My son used it when he was 12 at the California State Fair and won a first place ribbon with it. It is just simply delicious and moist.

**Prep time:** 1 hour 20 minutes
**Cook time:** 45-60 minutes (loaf) or 20-25 minutes (muffins)
**Total time:** 2 hours 20 minutes
**Servings:** 18 muffins or 1 loaf
**Storage:** Refrigerates 5-7 days

---

## Ingredients

- 1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 3 ripe bananas, smashed (about 1 cup)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2-1 cup chopped pecans or 1/2-1 cup walnuts (optional)

---

## Shopping List

### 🧈 Dairy
- [ ] 1/2 cup butter (or margarine)
- [ ] 1/4 cup milk
- [ ] 2 eggs

### 🍌 Produce
- [ ] 3 ripe bananas

### 🥫 Pantry & Baking
- [ ] 1 1/4 cups sugar
- [ ] 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- [ ] 2 cups all-purpose flour
- [ ] 1/2 teaspoon salt
- [ ] 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- [ ] 1/2-1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

---

## Instructions

1. **Cream butter and sugar.** Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla and eggs.

2. **Combine wet ingredients.** Combine dry ingredients, add alternatively with bananas and milk. Add nuts if desired.

3. **Prepare pan.** Grease and flour 1 bread pan (2-3 smaller pans) or pour into muffin cups.

4. **Bake loaf.** For loaf: bake at 350°F for 45-60 minutes. Muffins: 350°F for 20-25 minutes. Enjoy!

---

## Notes

- **Butter vs. margarine:** Either make a loaf or put it into muffin cups and make muffins for my kids to grab in the morning on their way to school. Using margarine makes the muffins come out in a better form, but the butter has a better flavor, so I usually use 1/2 of each to get the best of both worlds.
- **Baking time variation:** I usually use a smaller bread pan to make the 2 loaves, or use a larger one and just make 1 big loaf, but it will need to bake longer. I adjusted the time because people had been saying it was over baking, now people are saying it's under baked. I would use the old fashioned test of a tooth pick at 45 min, then at 1 hour -- up to 1 hour and 30 min if needed. Hope that helps!

---

## Serving Ideas

- Serve warm with butter
- Toast slices for breakfast
- Pair with coffee or tea
- Top with cream cheese frosting for dessert