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1 ¾ cups (8 ¾ ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon table salt

6 very large ripe bananas, peeled (I don’t use this 6th since it’s just garnish on top)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 large eggs

¾ cup (5¼ ounces) packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup walnuts toasted and coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

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Before you begin:

Be sure to use very ripe, heavily speckled (or

even black) bananas in this recipe. This

recipe can be made using 5 thawed frozen

bananas; since they release a lot of liquid

naturally, they can bypass the microwaving

in step 2 and go directly into the fine-mesh

strainer. Do n o t u s e a t h a w e d frozen b a n a n a

in step 4; it will be too soft to slice. Instead,

simply sprinkle the top of the loaf with

sugar. The test kitchen's preferred loaf pan

measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by

5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness

five m i n u t e s earlier t h a n a d v i s e d in t h e

recipe. The texture is best when the loaf is

eaten fresh, but it can be stored (cool

completely first), covered tightly with plastic

wrap, for up to 3 days.

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8 ½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.

2. Place 5 bananas in microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife. Microwave on high power until bananas are

   soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer bananas t o fine-mesh strainer placed over medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes (you should have ½ to ¾ 4 cup liquid).

3. Transfer liquid to medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 14 cup, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir reduced liquid into bananas, and mash with potato masher until fairly

   smooth. Whisk in butter, eggs, brown sugar, a n d vanilla.

4. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Slice remaining banana diagonally into 14-inch-thick slices. Shingle banana slices on top of either side of loaf, leaving 1½-inch-wide space down center to ensure even rise. Sprinkle granulated sugar evenly over loaf.

5. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 15 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue to cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp.

***Cooks Illustrated Recipe