Lyn's Banana Nut Bread

This came from my friend Kat Garrett.  She gifted my family with a loaf last week and it was wonderful!  Of course with the icing, it's delectable.  However, the bread is so moist and yummy by itself!  I'm giving this to you like she sent it to me.

3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
3 TBSP buttermilk (i use regular milk)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups mashed, overly ripe bananas (about 6 bananas- i always freeze my overly ripe bananas and save them for bread...the frozen banana seems to help with moistness in the bread...i defrost them in a bowl and they mix up well in the batter)
1 cup pecans (i used walnuts)
1 TBSP vanilla

Cream butter, sugar, and eggs. Add buttermilk and dry ingredients. Blend well. Add bananas and nuts.

Bake in a greased and floured tube pan, or 2 loaves.

Bake loaves at 350 for 55 min.
Bake tube pan at 350 for 1 hour 10 min.
Adjust baking time according to your oven :)

Optional Cream cheese icing (looks pretty with tube pan, not as much with the loaf...i just started adding the icing but it's optional :P)
1 1/2 packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash of salt (maybe 1/8 tsp?)
chopped nuts

Add icing to bread once cooled and sprinkle additional nuts and cut bananas on top if you like. :) Hope you enjoy! :)