Moist Banana Bread

I love making banana bread because it makes the whole house smell amazing!! I've made several loves of banana bread in my days and this is the closest I've come to the same as my grandmother bakes (maybe it's in her water because mine is baked with love too). This recipe has no added sugar; it relies solely  on the sweetness of ripe bananas, so eat up everyone!

Tips:

That's ripe- If you've got some fairly ripe bananas that you don't want to compost, place the banana (peel and all) in the freezer. The peel serves as a frost jacket for your ripened fruits. 

The purpose- I give you options for ingredients so that you can make the adjustments to your lifestyle; if you're watching calories, use applesauce, but oil adds a flavor and moisture that applesauce doesn't. Use water instead of milk, although milk again creates a different flavor.
You're nuts- I know it might seem odd to toss the nuts with the dry ingredients, but it prevents the walnuts from sinking in the pan. 
Sugar, Sugar- If you're not particularly worried about the sugar content of you banana bread or you're bananas aren't as ripe as you'd like, I'd say that it is safe to stir in some sugar (or honey). I suggest no more than 1/3 cup (or 2 Tablespoons honey). 

Oven Temperature: 325 degrees 

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 40-45 minutes

 Servings: 1, 9 x 5 inch loaf

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup vegetable oil or unsweetened applesauce

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup water or milk

2 cups all-purpose, whole wheat or gluten-free flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1) Adjust the oven racks so that the loaf will sit in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

2)In a large mixing bowl, beat together banana, oil (or applesauce), eggs, vanilla, and water (or milk) until creamy.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and nuts (if used).

4) Gradually stir the dry ingredients into to the wet ingredients, mixing just until moistened.

5) Carefully pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. To remove air bubbles, raise and drop the loaf pan onto the counter 5-10 times.

6) Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack before storing or slicing.