Banana Nut Bread

By Wendy Oestreicher
@WendyOes

I adapted this recipe years ago to make it healthier and I'm still making it this way, over 25 years later. The nuts and raisins add some character to the bread, the whole wheat flour adds some "tooth", and eliminating the oil by adding unsweetened applesauce reduces the fat content. Plus, it tastes really good!

Rating:

★★★★★ 1 vote

Comments:

2 Comments

Serves:

Prep:

15 Min

Cook:

1 Hr

Method:

Bake

Ingredients

1/2 c: applesauce, unsweetened
2/3 c: sugar
2 large: eggs
3 medium: ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 c: whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c: all purpose flour
1 tsp: baking soda
1/2 tsp: baking powder
1/2 tsp: salt
3 Tbsp: milk (skim, low-fat, or whole)
1/2 tsp: pure vanilla extract
1/2 c: walnuts, chopped (optional)
1/2 c: raisins (optional)

How to Make Banana Nut Bread

Step-by-Step

1Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (If using a convection oven, preheat to 325 degrees, pure convection). Grease and flour a 9x5x3" loaf pan.
2In a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer, beat applesauce and sugar together. Add eggs and banana pulp and mix well. In a small bowl, stir together flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to banana mixture along with milk and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for two minutes. Stir in nuts and raisins.
3Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour or until a cake tester inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Do not over bake.
4Cool in pan for 15 minutes and then remove from pan and cool on rack until completely cool. Slices better when allowed to cool completely.