Still questing for the perfect sweet bread to serve guests over the holidays, I almost gave up on traditional breakfast bread recipes. But then I turned to the professionals. I looked in the Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Cookbook: Most requested recipes from Wisconsin's unique B&B's and country inns. I figure that these folks who make their living serving breakfasts must have a whole stockpile of great breakfast recipes. And I found one for banana nut bread contributed by the Westphal Mansion Inn in Hartford, WI.
The innkeeper at the Westphal Mansion Inn titles the recipe Thelma's Banana Nut Bread, and writes that the "recipe has been passed down for 3 generations. Over the past years, as a nanny for a family seven, I have enjoyed many afternoons making this keepsake recipe with the third generation of children." So I guess this banana nut bread recipe is for a traditional breakfast bread after all, at least if you're in Thelma's family. Click on "continue reading..." for the recipe.
Thelma's Banana Nut Bread
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 ripe bananas mashed to a pulp
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts, (optional)
"Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, beat together the oil and sugar. Add the eggs, bananas, milk, and vanilla and mix to combine. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and fold in the chocolate chips and nuts. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and place a waxed paper sheet on the bottom of the pan. Pour in the batter and bake 1 hour. Allow the bread to cool 5 minutes on a wire rack before removing from pan.
"Tips and variations: This recipe can be adapted for muffins. Simply bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes 2 dozen."
I made my own variation by throwing in about 3/4 cup of sweetened, shredded coconut. It made the bread taste tropical. And anything remotely associated with the tropics is welcome in Wisconsin in the winter. Eating Thelma's bread gave me the idea to add a splash of rum to the next batch. Party on!
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