Before you start mixing the ingredients, you need to preheat your oven to 325°F. This temperature is ideal for baking banana nut bread because it allows the bread to cook evenly without burning. Make sure to preheat your oven for at least 10 minutes before you start baking.
Once your oven is preheated, it’s time to mix the ingredients. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with bananas, beating well after each addition. Fold in pecans.
After you have mixed all the ingredients, it’s time to bake the bread. Grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan or a 12″ x 4″ tea loaf pan with butter or cooking spray. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out with a spatula. Place the pan in the center of the oven and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
To check if your banana nut bread is done, insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, your bread is ready. If there is still batter on the toothpick, bake for an additional 5-10 minutes and check again. It’s important not to overbake the bread, as it can become dry and tough.
Once your banana nut bread is done, remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, remove the bread from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This will prevent the bread from becoming soggy on the bottom.