Banana-Orange Nut Bread

By mlmason

Can be made with a cinnamon topping or an orange nut topping ~ see directions

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 11/2 cups mashed bananas (1 1/4 lbs. unpeeled bananas, about 4 medium)
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition
Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in bananas, pecans, and vanilla. Spoon batter into 2 greased & floured 8 x 4 inch loaf pans.
Bake at 350* for 1 hour or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and sides pull away from pan, shielding with aluminum foil last 15 minutes to prevent browning, if necessary. Remove from pans, and cool 30 minutes on wire racks before slicing.

CINNAMON CRISP-TOPPED:
Stir together ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar; ½ cup chopped, toasted pecans; 1 Tabs. all-purpose flour; 1 Tabs. melted butter; and 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon. Sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Bake & cool as directed.
ORANGE-PECAN-TOPPED:
Prepare bread batter as directed above and spoon into desired pans. Sprinkle 1 cup coarsely chopped, toasted pecans evenly over batter in pans. Bake as directed. Cool bread in pans 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Stir together 1 cup powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, & 1 tsp grated orange rind until blended. Drizzle evenly over warm bread and cool 30 minutes on wire racks.