We buy a lot of bananas in my house. Inevitably, at the end of the week, there are a couple that didn’t get eaten and are starting to get a little too ripe. I usually toss them in the freezer to save for banana bread.

Banana bread has, over the years, become a thing I can reliably make. I use it as a way to show gratitude, or just to surprise people. I’ve given it to teachers at Dominic’s school, I’ve given it to the office staff at Dominic’s school, and I’ve given it to the staff at Zachary’s preschool.

It’s so easy to make. It’s delicious. And it’s a way to use up the bananas I accumulate in my freezer.

The kids love it, and I think it’s starting to become a thing that they associate with “home”.

This recipe is a blend of a few recipes I’ve found online and in a wonderful cookbook that was gifted to me at my bridal shower (The Bride and Groom First and Forever Cookbook - if you’re in the market for a cookbook that hits everything out of the park, this is one you don’t want to pass by).

I usually make my banana bread without nuts because my kids aren’t that into them. Or because I’m using it as a gift for someone in a school. But I’ve added walnuts and pecans to this recipe and they’re both delicious. I’ve never tried it with chocolate chips (I don’t have a huge sweet tooth) but I’ll bet that would be delicious too if you’re into that sort of thing.

I also don’t keep buttermilk in the house because I don’t use it often and it feels wasteful to use a small amount and throw the rest away. I buy powdered buttermilk. It keeps forever in the fridge and I can make exactly what I need, when I need it!

2 1/4 cups AP flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk (I get the powdered stuff so I always have buttermilk ready to go in the fridge)
5 bananas

Preheat oven to 350

Grease the hell out of two loaf pans and I like to line the bottoms with parchment because these tend to stick. I use crisco, not butter.

Assemble, as Alton Brown would say, the dry team (flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove) in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (paddle attachment). Beat on low to combine. Add eggs and vanilla.

Stir baking soda and buttermilk in a small bowl and set aside.

Add dry team and buttermilk mixture in the following pattern: 1/3 of the dry team, 1/2 buttermilk mixture, 1/3 dry team, the rest of the buttermilk mixture, and the rest of the dry team.

Add bananas and anything else you’re adding to the breads (nuts, chocolate chips, whatever). Don’t overmix.

Add to the two loaf pans.

Bake for about an hour - check to see if a knife comes out clean when you do the knife test.

Let me know if you try this! And let me know if you come up with anything else delicious to add to your breads besides walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips! I’ll bet you can use grated zucchini in place of banana…