The BEST Banana Bread

Banana Bread


2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (5 medium)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup cooking oil or melted butter or margarine

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

1 recipe Streusel-Nut Topping

Preheat oven to 350. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x13x3-inch or two 71/2x31/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well in center of mixture; set aside.

In a medium bowlcombine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in walnuts. Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel-Nut Topping over batter in pan(s).

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 71/2x31/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on rack. Wrap; store overnight before slicing.
Streusel-Nut Topping.
(this is what the original recipe calls for but I always double the streusel ingredients--so if you would like a little thicker topping then go ahead & double it).
In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in two tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/3 cup chopped walnuts.

From Sammi Arden