Best Banana Bread

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Arrange bananas in the pan. Prick banana skins with the tines of a fork at 1 inch intervals. Bake for 15 minutes. (The banana peels will turn dark brown.) Cool bananas on baking pan. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch or two 7 1/2x3 1/2x2-inch loaf pans. Set pan(s) aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and ginger. Using the back of a spoon, make a well in the center of the flour mixture; set aside.

Step 3

In a medium bowl stir together eggs, sugar, and oil; set aside. Use a small sharp knife to split the banana peels. Measure 1 1/2 cups of the roasted bananas (gently press the roasted bananas into measuring cups). Stir into egg mixture. 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.

Step 4

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for the 9x5x3-inch pan or 45 to 55 minutes for the 7 1/2x3 1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center(s) comes out clean. (When you remove the pick, a few crumbs may be clinging to it, but there should not be any unbaked batter on the pick.) If necessary to prevent overbrowning, cover loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking. (If using one large pan, check the brownness of the top after 40 minutes of baking. If using two smaller pans, check after 30 minutes baking. If the top(s) is quite brown, cover each pan with foil using a piece of foil large enough to completely cover the top; using hot pads to protect your hands, carefully press the foil lightly against the pan's edges.) Cool in pan(s) on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan(s). Cool completely on rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. (The quick bread's texture will be more evenly moist and less crumbly after standing.)