Mom's Banana Bread or Muffins

Old fashioned banana bread, excellent use of your over-ripe bananas! Same recipe makes either a loaf or 12 muffins. Walnuts are optional, we usually don't add them.

• Ready In: 32 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1  cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup shortening
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1  cup  mashed banana
• 3  tablespoons buttermilk or 3  tablespoons  sour milk
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 2  cups flour
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 4  ounces walnuts, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either grease and flour a 9" X 5" loaf pan or place 12 cupcake papers in a muffin pan.
2. Cream sugar and shortening, beat in eggs then bananas.
3. Combine baking soda with milk, stir into creamed mixture.
4. Sift flour with salt and spices; add a little at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.
5. Stir in nuts; pour into prepared pan.
6. For muffins, bake for 22 minutes at 350 degrees, or until knife in center comes out clean.
7. For loaf, bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees, then cover with aluminum foil and continue to bake for 25 additional minutes or until knife in center comes out clean.