My Favorite Banana Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine or 1/3 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (3 to 4 medium)
1/3 cup water
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of loaf pan.
Mix sugar and margarine in 2 1/2 quart bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas and water; beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts just until moistened; stir in nuts. Pour into pan.
Bake until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 8-inch loaf 1 1/4 hours, 9-inch loaf 55 to 60 minutes; cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove and cool completely before slicing.