Makes: 1 Loaf

Description: Even if you have never made banana bread before, I have no doubt you can make this recipe. And if you have made other recipes, you might just find this one is easier, faster, and dare I say, tastier!

Ingredients:
1/2 Stick (4-5 Tbl.)  Butter, softened
2  Eggs
2 or 3  Very ripe bananas
2/3 cup  Sugar
1 tsp.  Vanilla extract
1 1/3 cup  All-purpose unbleached flour
3/4 tsp.  Salt
1/2 tsp.  Baking soda
1/4 tsp.  Baking poweder
1/2 tsp.  Cinnamon
1/2 cup  (optional) nuts, raisens, dried fruit, choc. chips, etc.

Instructions: Preheat the oven to 350.

In one bowl, combine:

1/2 stick (4-5 tablespoons) butter, softened
2 eggs
2 or 3 very ripe bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Use a potato masher, fork, or spoon to squish the banana and mix the ingredients together. It is alright for there to be small (1 centimeter) chunks of banana in the batter, but you want most of the banana to be reduced to mush.

In another bowl, combine:

1 1/3 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix until the ingredients are blended together.

If you like, stir in additional ingredients here, such as chopped nuts, dried fruit, or chocolate chips. A handful (about a half a cup) is about right.

Pour the dough into greased baking pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Small loaves take 25-30 minutes, a normal-sized loaf takes around 40-50 minutes.

Remove from the oven. This bread is great warm, but it is excellent cold too.

After they have cooled for 5 or 10 minutes the loaves can be removed from the pan to cool. Once they are cool they can be individually wrapped and frozen.

via If you want it done right...