From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This simple recipe yields four nice loaf cakes that make great token gifts for the Christmas holiday. They are chock full of nuts, and if you use really ripe bananas - the brown, nasty kind - the cakes will have great flavor. The loaves can be frozen, and they will keep at room temperature for several days if you wrap them well. They, obviously, can be prepared well ahead of serving. The last time I made loaf cakes, I was asked how they differ from quick breads. In my world, cakes are lighter and sweeter than quick breads, and I tend to frost or dust them with powdered sugar. There is, however, more to it than that. I suspect the difference lies more in how the two are made. Quick breads are mixed together like muffins, where wet and dry ingredients are combined and stirred as little as possible. True cakes are lighter in texture, and the ratio of flour, fat, sugar is different than what's used to make a bread. That alters the crumb and texture of the final product. This recipe produces moist dense loaves, but for best results I suggest you 8-inch pans for baking. I do hope you give the recipe a try. Here is how this version of banana bread is made.
