Banana Walnut Loaf - Cake or Bread ?

One can find banana-walnut loaf at almost every cafe. This along with marble loaf cake are my favorite. Usually, I don't miss a chance to eat these calorie-devil's while pondering- Is this a cake or a bread? Regardless, a slice is perfect for breakfast with a fresh cup of coffee!



Apparently, this bread loaf exploded in households after the discovery of baking soda and baking powder in 1930's and perhaps have found a place in every baking cookbook ever since with certain twists - different nuts and chocolates. Recently, I tried a recipe published in Cuisinart bread maker booklet and really liked it as it was perfectly moist and had ingredients which can be found at any baker's pantry. Initially, I thought that its too moist in comparison to what I get in store's and after two days it tasted exactly like the store ones and I started thinking again - fresh ones surely taste different - Don't they?

Yield: 1 pound loaf
Ingredients:
Buttermilk: 1/4 cup (Add two and half tbsp water to one and half tbsp yogurt and then mix well if you don't have butter milk)
Unsalted butter: 1/3 cup (small pieces at room temperature)
Egg: 1 large at room temperature
Vanilla extract: 1tsp
Mashed Bananas: 1 cup (usually two ripe banana's)
Salt: 1/2 tsp
Sugar: 2/3 cup
All purpose flour: 1 and 1/3 cup
Baking powder: 1/2 tsp
Baking soda: 3/4 tsp
Chopped walnuts: 1/2 cup

- Mix all the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar) in a bowl
- Mash ripe banana's to obtain about 1 cup
- Heat butter milk for 30 sec and add pieces of unsalted butter, egg, vanilla extract and mix everything together
- Add ripe banana and the mixture of dry ingredients to the butter milk mix.
- Mix everything together for 2-3 minutes
- Pour mixture in a greased 8X4 pan and bake at 325 F in a preheated oven for 60-75 minutes or until done
- Enjoy!