Mom's Banana Bread

This is my Mama's own special recipe and is truly the best banana bread ever! I guarantee it will make your house smell warm and cozy, just like it did for me. It is so moist and delicious! My Mom may be all the way in FL, but making this recipe and smelling the familiar bread, sure made me feel closer to her! Thanks, Ma, for sharing your wonderful recipe with me and everyone else who views this! Here is one of my favorite pictures of us (from my wedding):

Adapted from my Mom's kitchen

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup buttermilk or regular milk (I used 1 % milk)
1 teaspoon lemon juice (I used apple cider vinegar)
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup crisco all-vegetable shortening, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 cups well ripened bananas, mashed (about 3-4)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small box instant banana cream dry pudding mix (Mom's secret ingredient!)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired (I omitted this)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Coat bundt or loaf pan with butter/flour baking spray. Whisk first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate cup, combine milk and lemon juice and set aside. Let sit a few minutes; this will appear to look curdled after sitting, this is fine.

In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, spices and vanilla. Add this mixture to the dry ingredients, alternating with the shortening. Blend together with mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add milk mixture, eggs and dry pudding mix; blend well for 2 minutes. This is what will help keep the bread nice and fluffy!

Once mixed well, stir in the chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired, and also sprinkle some in the bottom of the bundt pan. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes on rack then turn out of pan and continue to let cool. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, if desired. Keep covered or store in fridge if warm weather.