What is comfort food? Something sweet? Something warm? Something soft? For those who need something to get them through these last few weeks of winter, this banana bread has all these qualities.

This recipe makes a sweet and rich banana bread that stays moist for days. It’s easy, delicious and satisfying.

This recipe comes from my mom’s college roommate’s grandma. Her roommate came from a Mennonite family — a religion whose culture is known for good baking — and she said the recipe has been tried and true for generations.

First, you’ll need the ingredients. To make this banana bread, you will need:

• 1 Cup of white sugar

• 1 Cup of brown sugar, packed

• ½ Cup of butter (Make sure to take out of the refrigerator a few hours beforehand. It should be at room temperature.)

• 2 Cups of flour

• 4 Eggs

• 5-7 Ripe bananas 

• 2 Teaspoons of baking soda

• 1 Teaspoon of salt

• 1/2 Cup (or more depending on preference) of walnuts

To start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, peel the bananas and place them in a big bowl or something you can mash them in. Mash the bananas until they become a paste.

Then, take your butter and sugar and mix until the butter is creamed. You want a fluffy consistency with the sugar evenly blended into it. Next, take your mashed bananas and eggs and combine them with the creamed butter. Mix until everything is evenly distributed.

Next, take another bowl, and mix together all the dry ingredients. After they’re well mixed, combine your wet and dry ingredients. To achieve moist banana bread, make sure to mix only until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Overmixing risks a dryer and more crumbly loaf at the end.

Now to prepare for baking, take two small loaf pans (or one big one) and coat the inside with butter and flour. Make sure to evenly coat the insides of the pans so the bread doesn’t stick. Then, pour the mixture into the pans, and bake for about an hour to an hour and 10 minutes. Make sure to check on the loaves when nearing the hour mark, as overbaking will also cause a more dry and crumbly loaf. I like to use a toothpick to poke the top to check the inside. When the toothpick comes out dry, the bread is usually done.

After removing the loaves from the oven, let them rest for around 20 minutes before removing from the pans. I usually run a butter knife around the edges of the pan and then tip the bread out.

You should be left with two loaves of dense and rich banana bread that will make any baker pleased. Next time you find yourself with a pile of brown bananas, give this recipe a try instead of tossing them.