Whenever bananas get a bit too ripe, I bake banana nut bread and keep a few loaves in the freezer. Whole wheat flour enhances the nuttiness of the loaves. Baking time in the convection oven is reduced by 10 to 15 minutes for either size loaf.

　　

Ingredients

makes one 9 1/2 × 5 1/2-inch loaf or three 5 3/4 × 3 1/2-inch loaves

　　1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

　　1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

　　1/2 cup whole wheat flour

　　1 cup sugar

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/2 teaspoon baking soda

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　2 eggs

　　1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, melted, or 1/2 cup corn oil or canola oil

　　1 tablespoon vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Position the oven racks so that they are evenly spaced and one rack is in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to convection bake at 325°F for a 9 1/2 × 5 1/2-inch loaf, or 350°F for 5 3/4 × 3 1/2-inch loaves. Spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven as it preheats for 5 to 8 minutes or until fragrant. Cool them. Grease and flour one large or three small loaf pans.

　　

Step 2

Mix the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, bananas, butter, and vanilla and with a hand mixer, beat until the batter is smooth. Stir in the nuts. Pour into one large or three small pans.

　　

Step 3

Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 55 minutes for the large loaf, 35 to 45 minutes for small loaves, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and dry. Remove the bread from the oven and let it stand in the pan for 5 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife, and turn the bread out of the pan to finish cooling on a wire rack.

　　From Cooking with Convection by Beatrice Ojankangas. Copyright (c) 2005 by Beatrice Ojankangas. Published by Broadway Books.Beatrice Ojakangas has written more than a dozen cookbooks, including Beatrice Ojakangas' Great Holiday Baking Book, Beatrice Ojakangas' Light and Easy Baking, Pot Pies, Quick Breads, Light Desserts, The Finnish Cookbook, and The Great Scandinavian Baking Book. Beatrice works as a consultant for Pillsbury and other major food companies, teaches cooking classes, and writes for various food magazines. She lives in Duluth, Minnesota.