I have tried several banana bread recipes, and this is the one I use now all of the time. It is moist and delicious.

Both of these recipes contain buttermilk. If you can, buy the kind that only has two ingredients: Cultured milk and salt. If you can’t get quality buttermilk, you might try substituting good quality whole milk yogurt or sour cream (no additives), adding a bit of milk for good consistency.

I found this recipe originally on YouTube; here is the link to the blog with the recipe and video, called Divas Can Cook!

https://divascancook.com/moist-banana-bread-recipe-easy/

Ingredients

• 3 large extra ripe bananas (about 1½ cups mashed)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
• ½ cup white sugar
• ½-¾ cup light brown sugar, packed (add more sugar if your bananas are not quite ripe enough)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup buttermilk
• melted butter for brushing (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and lightly flour a loaf pan. (I greased with butter-flavored shortening)
2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until creamy and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside.
3. In another medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer.
5. Beat in the eggs until combined.
6. Fold in the mashed bananas.
7. Add in the vanilla extract and buttermilk.
8. Mix until combined.
9. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
   STIR GENTLY AND JUST UNTIL THE FLOUR IS INCORPORATED. DO NOT OVERSTIR. (sorry for yelling)
10. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
11. Bake on the center rack for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Total time may vary. Check on the bread at the 1-hour mark. A Toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean, and the bread should be golden around the edges.
12. Brush the top of the bread with melted butter if desired when it comes out of the oven.
    melted butter for brushing (optional)
13. Let the bread cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack to finish cooling.
14. Slice and enjoy! (Flavors will intensify the next day)

Now for the pumpkin bread recipe, also from Divas Can Cook. This one makes two loaves.

https://divascancook.com/easy-pumpkin-bread-recipe-moist-pumpkin-bread-recipes/

Ingredients

• • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon all-spice
  • 3/4 cup butter softened
  • 2 1/4 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275 F.  (YES, THAT IS THE CORRECT TEMP.)
2. in a medium sized bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
4. Mix in eggs.
5. Mix in the pumpkin puree.
6. Stir in vanilla extract.
7. Stir in half of the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until combine.
8. Stir in half of the buttermilk.
9. Add in the rest of the dry mixture and then stir in the rest of the buttermilk. Be sure to stir gently and just until combined.
10. Pour batter into two greased and floured loaf pans.
11. Bake for 1 hour and 10-20 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake and keep in mind that the bread will continue to bake as it cools down.
12. Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.
13. Enjoy!