The Best Banana Bread

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
• ½ cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature
• ¾ cup white sugar (or 1 scant cup of honey for a healthier option)
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp real vanilla extract
• 1 cup walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
• ½ cup raisins
• 30 g (1.1 oz) melted butter (for finishing)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the room-temperature butter and sugar (or honey) until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
4. Add the Mix-Ins: Gently fold in the toasted walnuts and raisins into the batter, ensuring they are evenly distributed.
5. Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Finish with Melted Butter: Once the banana bread is baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. After that, remove it from the pan and brush the top with melted butter while it’s still warm.
7. Cool and Serve: Allow the bread to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. Enjoy the moist and delicious banana bread on its own or with a spread of butter.

Note: To toast the walnuts, place them in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Let them cool before adding them to the batter.