Spiced Banana Bread

I don’t know why we buy bananas, without fail, during every trip to the grocery store especially since we rarely give them a second look once they get to the fruit bowl. I usually end up throwing them out, a couple of days later, when they are overly ripe. Every once in a while I make a banana bread not because I’m too crazy about it, but because I can’t think of anything better to do with a bunch of bananas (other than making the occasional smoothie, pancake or batch of muffins) that are rapidly spoiling.

I've made a couple of different versions of banana bread since I first started baking but never one that’s been spiced up like this. This is a very nice spiced bread/cake to bake especially this time of the year, it being the holiday season and all.

Wet ingredients:
3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (I pureed the bananas)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup sugar (adjust according to taste and sweetness of fruit)
1 egg
3 Tbsp yogurt
2 tsp vanilla extract

Dry ingredients:
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger powder
½ tsp powdered cloves
¼ tsp salt
½ cup chopped walnuts

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together. Add the egg; beat well. Add the mashed bananas, sugar and vanilla extract. Mix well.

Mix the dry ingredients together and combine with the wet ingredients. Add a few walnuts to the batter and sprinkle the rest on top. Pour into the greased loaf pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 375 degrees F, then turn off the oven and let it continue to remain inside for another 5-10 minutes.

I’ve baked a couple of different versions of this bread over time and this seems to be one version that I will keep going back to.