Banana Bread

I'm usually not a fan of banana bread as I think it tends to taste a little pasty, but this is one recipe that doesn't.  I think the spices, pudding and chocolate chips set this banana bread recipe apart from the rest, at least for me.  I like to make this recipe as muffins, bake for 15-20 minutes.

2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, optional (I usually don't add the nuts)
3/4 cup chocolate chips, optional
3 very ripe large bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup vanilla pudding (I just use a pudding snack pack)
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a large, 9x5 loaf pan (or use two muffin tins with paper liners) and set aside.  Stir the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, nuts and chocolate chips together in a large bowl and set aside.  In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, pudding, eggs, butter and vanilla together.  Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky.  Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.  Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 70-75 minutes.  Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then turn out and let cool on a wire rack.