Almond Banana Bread

One of my favorite breakfast treats has to be warm bread with melted butter. Whenever I see bananas start to get a tad bit soft I think of banana bread. This week I tried a great new recipe and make a few changes to it that I really liked. By using whole wheat flour and almonds it adds more nutritional value than regular banana bread.  Its adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I did half whole wheat flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (I use unsalted)
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
• 1/3 sup slivered almonds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg and cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Add the almonds, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla and stir. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. 
3. Mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar with about 1 tablespoon water. Using a pastry brush paint the loaf with the mixture. (Will create a crispy top)
4. 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, then turn out onto a wire rack.