Banana Nut Bread Recipe

This recipe produces a moist, dense, and flavorful banana nut bread with a perfectly golden-brown crust.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups)

• 1/3 cup melted butter (unsalted or salted)

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 pinch of salt

• 3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you want it less sweet)

• 1 large egg, beaten

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a $4 \times 8$-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray.

2. Mash Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth.

3. Mix Wet Ingredients: Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.

4. Add Leavening and Seasoning: Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract.

5. Incorporate Flour: Gently fold in the flour. Mix just until combined—do not overmix, or the bread will be tough.

6. Add Nuts: Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans.

7. Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

8. Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Pro-Tips

• The Bananas: The darker the peels, the sweeter the bread. If they are completely covered in brown spots, they are perfect.

• Toast the Nuts: For extra flavor, toast your chopped nuts in a dry pan for 2–3 minutes before adding them to the batter.

• If the top of your bread is browning too quickly before the center is done, loosely tent a piece of aluminum foil over the pan for the last 15 minutes of baking.