1-½ cups flour

¼ cup whole-wheat flour

⅓ cup sugar

⅓ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

⅓ cup butter

1 cup mashed bananas

2 eggs

½ cup chopped pecans

½ cup coconut

½ cup dried currants

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9” × 5” pan with unsalted butter and set aside. In large bowl, combine flour, whole-wheat flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda and mix well. Cut in butter until particles are fine. Add bananas and eggs and beat until combined. Stir in pecans, coconut, and currants.

2. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes or until bread is dark golden brown and begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.

YIELDS 1 LOAF (12 SLICES)

Banana bread has a velvety texture when made this way. If you'd like, you could use all pecans or all coconut in place of the fruit and nut mixture.

About Quick Breads

Quick breads are easy to make if you follow a few rules. First, mix the batter as the recipe directs. You may be making a smooth cake batter or a traditional quick bread where the ingredients are mixed just until combined. Make sure the oven is preheated, and watch the breads carefully for the last 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from pans immediately and cool on wire racks.