Banana Nut Bread

Banana Nut Bread is an easy bread recipe that makes a sweet moist loaf of bread that if full of mashed bananas and pecans. This recipe is perfect for a delicious snack or quick breakfast. It’s also a great gift for friends and family!  

Banana are great for making delicious recipes. I love how versatile they are, you can use them to make something savory like this  Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal or something sweet like this No Churn Banana Split Ice Cream.  

How to make Banana Nut Bread: 

Ingredients: 

• over ripe bananas
• pecans
• vanilla extract 
• all purpose flour
• baking soda
• unsalted butter 
• granulated sugar
• brown sugar 
• salt 

Equipment: 

• mixing bowls
•  whisk, rubber spatula or flat wooden spoon 
• measuring cups and spoons
• parchment paper 
• 9×5 loaf pan 

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or line  with parchment paper.  Leave a couple inches of excess  parchment paper over the edges of the loaf pan so you can easily remove the bread from the pan. 
3. Mash the over-ripe bananas fork until completely smooth, set aside. 
4. In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, then set the mixture aside.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
6. Add the mashed bananas to wet mixture and stir until well combined.
7. Slowly mix in the dry mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined. Over mixing the ingredients will make the Banana Nut Bread dry. No one wants dry banana bread! 
8. Add the pecans by folding them in gently.
9. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle more chopped pecans over the top of the of the batter. 
10. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
11. Let the bread rest in the pan for 5 minutes before removing bread from pan transferring to a cooling rack.
12. Allow bread to cool completely before slicing and serving. 

Variations and Substitutions : 

• Swap the pecans for walnuts or use a 1/2 cup of each. 

• Want less nuts in your bread? Reduce the amount of nuts to a 1/2 cup.

• Add a 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for a little extra sweet flavor in the bread.

• For a healthier sweet touch try a 1/2 cup of raisins. 

• Turn this recipe in BANANA NUT MUFFINS! Pour the batter into a lined or grease muffin pan and bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees F. Check for doneness with a toothpick.

How to store: 

Room Temperature: Wrap completely cooled banana bread in plastic wrap of foil and keep it on the counter for up to three days.

Refrigerator: Store completely cooled, sliced bread in a gallon zip top bag for up to five days. 

Freezer: Tightly wrap the loaf in a few layers of plastic wrap when the loaf is fully cooled. Place it into a plastic freezer bag or a sealed container and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy the bread again, thaw it- wrapped or unwrapped- in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

My tips for this recipe: 

• Don’t over mix the ingredients! When combining the wet mixture into the dry mixture stir it until it is just combined. Also gently fold the nuts into the batter. I recommend using a flat wooden spoon or rubber spatula for stirring.  

• Be careful to not over-bake the bread. It goes without saying baking the bread too long will burn it BUT you can also bake it too long without burning it. I recommend checking the bread  inserting a toothpick in in the center at 40 minutes. If the toothpick does not come out clean then bake for an additional 5-10 minutes. The recipe should be done somewhere between 40-50 minutes. 

• Preheat your oven for 20 minutes to help ensure even baking. Your oven will most come to 350 degrees in less time but allowing the oven more time to warm up will allow it to reach even temperature throughout allowing the bread to cook more evenly. 

I hope you and your family will love this recipe as much as we do! If you do try this recipe please come back and leave a comment letting me know how much you liked it! 

Happy Baking Y’all! 

Susanne 

Still hungry? Follow New South Charm on Pinterest! for more recipe ideas!