Banana Walnut Spice Bread

I love the way that banana bread scents the house as it's baking. I think it's the spices. Most of the banana bread recipes I've come across are either like cake or don't have any spices. I like mine to have a lot of spice to it, and this is my favorite combo of spices and light sweetness. This is a very moist and dense (but soft) bread that will stay moist for several days if wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator after it has cooled.

I make mine vegan, but you will get good results using non vegan ingredients.

I've also made this recipe using Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour with an addition 1 tsp. of xantham gum added the dry ingredients with much success.

1 cup flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 Tbs. flax meal
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/8 tsp. ground cloves

2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 melted earth balance or butter
Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed up for 2 eggs or 2 egg whites
2/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 to 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. While the oven is heating, blend together the flours, flax meal, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl.
3. In another bowl, thoroughly combine the bananas, applesauce, melted butter, egg replacer, and brown sugar making sure that any lumps are dissolved.
4. Blend together the wet and dry ingredients, but do not over mix. Gently fold in the walnuts and pour into the the prepared loaf pan.
5. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when tested in the center.

**If making Gluten Free, substitute 2 cups GF Flour mix for the wheat flours and add an additional 1 tsp. xantham gum to the dry ingredients and proceed.