Autumn’s always been my favorite season. That’s not to say I didn’t grow up loving the budding flowers and new beginnings of spring, belting out Christmas carols and sledding down frosted hills (if I’d ventured with my family beyond the lone star state) in winter, or even summer’s free and sunny days, but there’s just something special about autumn.
 
I don’t know if it’s the coziness of sweater weather, trees adorned with crimson and the only orange I like to see (saw ‘em off), or an excuse to “pumpkin-spice-ify” everything, but I always look forward to the season. In particular, I’ve found that baked goods tend to inspire feelings of fall. As the weather cools, I find myself drawn towards warm and nourishing foods to brighten my day and help keep the chill away. Usually at this time of year, my mom’s banana nut bread has always been a kitchen staple.
 
This year, I ended up staying in College Station over Thanksgiving, but still wanted to have a bit of home over the holiday. I tried my hand at replicating the concoction from Mom’s carefully-crafted recipe. As I mentioned in my previous post, I’m still working on getting more comfortable in the kitchen. I’ve attempted to make her bread in the past, but it’s never quite turned out the same. However, I think this rendition has been my most successful attempt to date. So if you’re looking for a straightforward and satisfying “breadstuff” recipe (this has been one of my finals go-tos), you’ll find her recipe below. But first: a few of my personal notes and findings.

1. Feel free to use any nuts you fancy, but I’ve found pecans and walnuts seem to work the best.
2. If you, like me, really want to make the bread, but your bananas aren’t yet in that optimal super ripe and blackened state, try one of these tricks to speed up the ripening process. I tried the oven suggestion for this loaf, and it worked great!
3. Depending on the specific oven and pan you use, the cooking time may vary. I thought my banana nut bread was ready in a mere 45 minutes, but I like mine especially ooey-gooey.

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Mom’s Banana Nut Bread

2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup nuts
1 cup sugar (½ cup white, ½ cup brown)
½ cup butter
2 unbeaten eggs
1 cup mashed bananas