Spiced Banana Bread

I actually was making guava pastries for a local restaurant, Carlos Café, (which I, of course, forgot to photograph) when I noticed that I had about 4 or 5 bananas that were almost over-ripe. Banana bread and banana pudding are the easiest ways to use up bananas, but I didn't have any heavy whipping cream in the house to use to make the vanilla custard layer or Nilla wafers, but I did have all of the ingredients to make banana bread! I took a basic recipe and added a few more spices  (nutmeg, cinnamon) to make it more interesting. This was my first time making it, and I would definitely make it again: it would probably freeze well and be good as gifts, late night snacks, whatever. 

I've never really mashed bananas before, and they went from decently firm to soggy, watery mess in about 2 minutes. Still tasted good  though :)

This bread didn't last very long at my house; whenever I meet one of my friends to hang out, I always bring a piece of whatever dessert I happen to be making at the time and I was reaaaally busy this week. I also recently got a summer job, so they will probably be getting some of my desserts too!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
•   1/4 teaspoon salt
•  ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
•  3/4 cup brown sugar
•  2 eggs, beaten
•  2 cups mashed overripe bananas

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. 
• In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
•   Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, and then turn out onto a wire rack.