Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
11 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 c. sugar
4 large eggs
2 c. mashed ripe bananas
3/4 c. chopped toasted walnuts
1 c. finely chopped dried apricots
c. diced crystallized ginger
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom and sides of two 9" x 5" loaf pans with vegetable-oil cooking spray.Step 2In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.Step 3In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in mashed bananas, scraping down sides of bowl once.Step 4With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 batches, beating just until flour disappears. Do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in walnuts, apricots, and ginger.Step 5Divide batter between the 2 prepared pans. Bake until nicely browned and puffed at center of loaves, about 45 minutes; a toothpick should come out clean when inserted into center of each loaf. Transfer pans to wire racks; let bread cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pans and cool completely on wire racks. Wrap loaves tightly with plastic wrap or place in resealable plastic bags with all air removed. For gift giving, wrap loaves in clear or decorative cellophane or wrapping paper and tie with a bow.
