Banana Bread

From the kitchen of Meshell McPherson
Ingredients:
5 Tbls butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas(about three average size)
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup heavy cream(I use milk instead)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts(optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bottom only of 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Beat butter in large bowl with an electric mixer set at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat well. Add egg, egg whites and vanilla; beat until well blended. Add mashed banana, and beat on high speed for 30 seconds.

3. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with cream(or milk), ending with flour mixture. Add walnuts to batter, mix well.

4. Pour batter evenly into prepared loaf pan. Bake until browned and toothpick inserted near center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. (I take it out 5 mins. before you are supposed to. The pan is still hot enough to finish cooking and it lets the bread settle)

5. Cool bread in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan; cool completely on wire rack. Slice and serve with butter and jam.