Grandma's Favorite Banana Bread

I started making this lighter banana bread recipe for my grandma about two years ago. She would request another loaf every time I came to visit her, which was almost once a week. She asked for it plain, with chocolate chips, nuts, and even raisins. She passed away this past January, so I thought it fitting to name the recipe after her.

GRANDMA'S FAVORITE BANANA BREAD

INGREDIENTS:

- 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 cup mashed overripe bananas (about 3 large)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup vanilla soy or almond milk, mixed with 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup nuts/chocolate chips/raisins (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking soda, and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Combine butter, applesauce, and sugars in your mixer and cream together. The mixture will look curdled, do not worry.

4. Add the bananas, milk mixture and vanilla to the work bowl. Mix until just combined.
5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet.
6. Fold in any extras you may want in your batter with a rubber spatula.
7. Pour batter into a 9x5 loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes.

*I was making scones at the same time so I added a little extra vanilla bean glaze on top of the loaf