Description
This Banana Nut Bread is a legendary soft slice made simple with everyday pantry staples. Featuring overripe bananas, toasted walnuts, and a tender crumb enhanced by yogurt or sour cream, this bread is moist, flavorful, and perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Nut Bread Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3–4 medium)
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (or neutral oil as a substitute)
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled or weighed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¾ cup (90 g) chopped walnuts, plus extra for topping (optional, toasted for 5–7 minutes)
- ¼ cup (60 g) plain yogurt or sour cream
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Toast Walnuts: Toast the chopped walnuts in the oven or on the stovetop for 5–7 minutes until fragrant to deepen their flavor. Set aside to cool.
- Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the overripe bananas until smooth but still slightly chunky for texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: Add the melted and slightly cooled butter to the mashed bananas along with the brown sugar and whisk until well combined. Then add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing gently until smooth.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using).
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet banana mixture, folding gently with a spatula to avoid overmixing and to keep the batter tender.
- Add Walnuts and Yogurt: Fold in the toasted walnuts and the plain yogurt or sour cream carefully to maintain a light batter without overworking it.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly. Sprinkle extra toasted walnuts on top if desired for a decorative touch.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing for the softest, most tender bites.
Notes
- Use overripe bananas with lots of brown speckles for maximum sweetness and flavor.
- Swapping melted butter for a neutral oil works, but butter provides a richer, bakery-style taste.
- Toasting walnuts enhances their nutty flavor and adds depth to the bread.
- Folding ingredients gently preserves the bread’s tender crumb and moist texture.
- The addition of yogurt or sour cream keeps the crumb extra soft, especially if bananas are less juicy.
- Spoon and level your flour to avoid adding too much, which can make the bread dry.
