Banana Bread

This is a really moist and tasty banana bread that I've made for years. I got the recipe from my mother-in-law. Update 8/2/07: I have omitted the baking powder from this recipe since the original did not include it; it was not accidentally left out. It is my opinion that banana bread is a quick bread and, therefore, is not supposed to rise like a yeast bread.

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Yields: 2 loaves

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
• 2  eggs
• 1 1⁄2 cups bananas, ripe and mashed
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 2  cups flour
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 cup buttermilk
• 1⁄2-1  cup walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 by 2 1/3-inch loaf pans.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
4. Beat in the bananas and vanilla.
5. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt and add alternately with the buttermilk to the batter.
6. Fold in the nuts.
7. Turn the mixture into the well-greased loaf pans and bake about 1 hour, depending on your oven.
8. Cool on rack.