Honey Pecan Banana Bread

It was so good that I didn't even get to take a picture before it was half gone! This banana bread is simple, delicious, uses lots of bananas, and doesn't use any oils/shortening -- just butter.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose white flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 c. white sugar

3 overripe, mashed, large bananas

2 eggs

dash of vanilla extract

cinnamon + nutmeg

1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted

Toppings

honey

chopped pecans

a little more butter

Baking Time

50 - 60 minutes, 350 F

The trick to this bread is that you want to mix it as little as possible. Make sure you have a rack placed in the lower quarter of your oven (I'll cover why later), and then preheat to 350 F.  First, mash the bananas in your mixing bowl. Add in the baking soda, salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, sugar, and eggs. Mix as little as possible, while still combining the ingredients. Then, add in flour by the half-cup, mixing in thoroughly but not excessively fast or powerfully. 

Once all 1.5 cups of flour are added, fold in the 1/4 cup of melted butter with a spoon. Now you're ready to pour your mixture into a bread pan. 

If you make muffins, it will take less time (I've never made any so I can't tell you exactly how much, but I'd estimate between 15 - 30 minutes at 350 F).  

If you make a loaf of bread, it will take around 50 - 60 minutes. I've done 45 minutes and 50 minutes for my last two batches, and the top has still been slightly under-cooked both times. Because of this you must bake this banana bread in the bottom quarter of your stove. If you don't, the top will brown too quickly for the rest of the bread to bake thoroughly. 

The delicious local honey we used.

Once done (stick a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean, the bread is done!), let some butter pats melt on top, drizzle honey, and put chopped pecans on top. I was out of pecans today :(

Enjoy!