2/3 cup warm water (110F)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup (1 large banana) mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup sliced almonds
grated zest of 1 lemon
3-1/2 cups bread flour
3 teaspoons instant active dry yeast
Place all ingredients in bread pan of your bread machine. Select dough setting and press start. When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Form dough into an oval, cover with a cotton towel and let rest for 10 minutes.
After resting, turn dough bottom side up and press to flatten. Shape dough into a loaf and place in a loaf pan that’s been coated with cooking spray. Cover and place in a warm spot to rise for approximately 30 minutes or until doubled. Preheat oven to 350F.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when tapped. A good check is to use an instant thermometer to test your bread. The temperature should be between 200 and 210F. Remove from oven and cool on a bread rack for about 10 minutes. Remove from pan.
Makes 1 1/2-pound loaf.