Banana Cake Bread

Mom and I were talking after my brother Vic and his lady Linda had been there for a visit. Linda has shared a recipe with her that Vic really likes a great deal. Linda isn't that much of a fan but let me tell my mom likes this one. It is really tender and sweet as well as moist and full of flavor.

Banana Cake Bread
1 yellow cake mix, dry (Mom favors Dunkin Hines)
1 reg. pkg. Banana Instant Pudding, dry
2 med. overly ripe bananas, mashed well
4 lrg. eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 C. vegetable oil (I used canola)
1/2 C. water
1/2 C. chopped pecans (this is a trick that will keep your nut meats from sinking to the bottom while the goodies bake, put a bit of the cake mix in a plastic bag with the nutmeats and shake them up pretty good before adding the whole thing to the batter)
1 tbsp. vanilla extract

In a large bowl mix the banana, eggs, oil and water on medium speed. When well blended add the cake mix, pudding mix as well as the bit with the nutmeats and continue to beat on medium speed until well blended

As an aside here I will tell you that at this point I figure any banana bread that I was making would need some nutmeg and a bit of cinnamon as well so I grated in a bit of nutmeg and gave it a few twists of fresh ground cinnamon.

This will make 2 regular sized loaves, 3 small loaves and as much as 4 of the mini loaves. Spray you pans, which ever size that you using, with PAM and divide the batter evenly between the sprayed pans. Bake @ 350F and here is where I get weedy, 50 minutes for the regular loaves. You will have to watch you smaller ones and test them with a cake tester, tooth pick or a strand of spaghetti.

One more thing that you should know, baking this in glass will be a different than in shiny aluminum and different still in a dark colored pan. The darker pan will brown faster. The glass is what I usually use for anything and the shiny aluminum will through the timing off again for it's reflective properties. You might Google the differences to satisfy you wondering.

It was still warm when I sliced us each a thick slice for dessert with lunch. I sure enjoyed my piece and his highness seems to concur. I know that all bowl and beater licking is done by himself and he proclaimed the batter delish.