Categories: baking, quick bread, tried-and-true

Ingredients

• For 2 loaves:
• 6 very ripe and soft medium bananas
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable shortening
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, optional

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350F. Lightly butter and flour two 8-1/2 × 4-1/2-inch loaf pans, tapping out the excess flour.

2. Mash the bananas in a medium bowl with a potato masher or fork until smooth, with a few pea-sized lumps. You should have about 2 cups.

3. Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl.

4. In a large bowl, using a rubber spatula, mix the sugar and shortening well to make a stiff, gritty paste, about 1 minute. One at a time, beat in the eggs, mixing well after each addition until the egg is absorbed. Mix in the mashed bananas until well combined. Stir in the walnuts, if using. (Don’t worry if the mixture looks curdled.) Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Don’t overmix or be concerned about a few small lumps. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pans.

5. Bake until a long wooden skewer comes out clean and the batter in the cracks on top of the breads looks cooked, about 1 hour.

6. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and cool in the pans for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the inside of the pans to loosen the loaves. Protecting your hands with a kitchen towel, hold a pan in one hand and invert the loaf out into the palm of your other hand. Place right side up on the rack. Repeat with the other loaf and cool completely. (The breads can be baked up to 3 days ahead, cooled completely, wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature.)

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