Classic Banana Walnut Bread
User Reviews
5
Classic Banana Walnut Bread
Description
This banana bread recipe starts with toasting walnuts to bring out a richer nutty flavor, then mixing mashed overripe bananas with creamed butter and sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Flour, baking soda, and salt are sifted together and gently folded into the wet mixture. The toasted nuts are added last to provide texture. The batter is poured into a greased loaf pan and baked at 350°F for about 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. The bread cools before slicing to complete the texture development.
With its balanced sweetness from bananas and sugar, this bread has a moist interior and a golden brown crust. Toasted walnuts deepen the flavor and add a pleasant crunch throughout the loaf.
The bread is suitable for breakfast, snacks, or a light dessert. It pairs well with tea or coffee.
Once cooled, wrap the bread tightly to keep it fresh. It stores well at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months. Flour substitutions include a 1:1 gluten-free blend if needed, and walnuts may be swapped with pecans or omitted if preferred. Vanilla can be replaced with almond extract for a different flavor.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 175 g
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 g
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 large egg room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter plus more for greasing loaf pan, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 g, white
- 3 banana about 1 1/4 cup, overripe
- 1/2 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
Instructions
- Toast Walnuts: In a small sauté pan, heat on medium and give walnuts a quick toast, for 2-3 minutes turning often to prevent burning. Optional: You could also add raw chopped walnuts.
- Preheat: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a loaf pan with some butter (I usually use a butter wrapper or cooking spray).
- Prep Dough: Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium-sized bowl. In another small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar either using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer.
- Create Dough: Add the egg and vanilla mixture to the butter mixture and mix with mixer. Add the mashed banana and mix (the mixture will appear to be curdled, but don't worry!).With a rubber spatula, gently mix in the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and with eggs. Fold in the toasted walnuts.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake in the center rack of the oven for 50 minutes. Check with a cake tester, toothpick, or a knife for doneness. If it doesn't come clean, bake for another 5 minutes until it does.
- Cool: Gently turn the banana bread out of the pan and let it cool on a wire rack.
- Enjoy: Serve warm with fresh butter or once cooled.
Notes
- Wrap cooled banana bread tightly to keep fresh; store on countertop 1-2 days, refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze up to 3 months.
- You can use gluten-free 1:1 flour blend to make this bread gluten-free if desired.
- Walnuts can be omitted or replaced with pecans for variety.
- Vanilla extract may be substituted with almond extract for a different flavor profile.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 12slices
Amount Per Serving
Calories 250 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 250kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 34g | 11% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 51mg | 17% |
| Sodium | 202mg | 8% |
| Potassium | 153mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 20g | 40% |
| Vitamin A | 300IU | 6% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 15mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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