Description
This Banana Nut Bread recipe delivers a legendary soft slice with a tender crumb, made simple using overripe bananas and pantry staples. Enhanced with chopped walnuts for a delightful crunch and optionally enriched with yogurt or sour cream for extra moistness, this classic treat is perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
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
- ¾ cup (150 g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ¾ cup (90 g) chopped walnuts, plus extra for topping (optional)
- ¼ cup (60 g) plain yogurt or sour cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang to lift out the loaf easily after baking.
- Mash the bananas: In a large bowl, mash the overripe bananas until mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining for extra flavor and texture.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes glossy and well combined. If using, whisk in the yogurt or sour cream now to add tenderness to the crumb.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). This ensures even rising and avoids pockets of baking soda in the bread.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients gently: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently fold with a spatula just until you no longer see streaks of flour. A slightly lumpy batter is ideal; avoid overmixing to maintain a soft texture.
- Fold in the walnuts: Gently fold in the chopped walnuts, reserving a small handful to sprinkle on top of the batter for a bakery-style finish if desired.
- Bake the bread: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle extra walnuts on top if using. Bake for 55–65 minutes or until the center is set. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil during the last 15–20 minutes of baking.
- Check doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. The center should feel springy and not wobble when the pan is gently nudged.
- Cool the bread: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and transfer it to a wire rack. Cool for at least 45–60 minutes before slicing to allow the crumb to set for clean, soft slices.
- Serve and enjoy: Slice and enjoy your legendary soft banana nut bread, resisting the urge to taste too many slices fresh from the rack!
Notes
- The riper and more speckled the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
- You can substitute neutral oil for butter, but butter adds a richer flavor typical of bakery-style bread.
- Brown sugar helps maintain moisture and tenderness in the bread.
- Spoon and level your flour measurement or weigh it to avoid a dry loaf; too much flour leads to a denser crumb.
- Toasting the walnuts for 5–7 minutes enhances their nuttiness and overall bread flavor.
- The optional yogurt or sour cream contributes extra softness, especially if bananas are less juicy.
- Don’t overmix the batter to keep the bread tender and soft.
- Loaf should cool thoroughly before slicing to prevent a gummy texture.
