Nana's Secret Banana Nut (Printable)

Moist banana nut bread with ripe bananas and crunchy walnuts, baked to golden perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
03 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
04 - 1/2 cup buttermilk or milk
05 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

06 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
09 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Nuts

12 - 2/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, plus extra for topping

# How-To:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
03 - In a separate bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
04 - Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Stop as soon as just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle extra nuts on the surface if desired.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
08 - Let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The buttermilk creates a tender crumb that stays moist for days unlike other banana breads that dry out overnight
  • The double sugar approach gives you a caramelized top crust that cracks beautifully while the inside stays pillowy soft
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter once flour is added activates gluten and turns what should be tender into something with the texture of a rubber doorstop
  • Every oven runs differently so start checking at 50 minutes because five extra minutes can take your bread from perfect to dry around the edges
03 -
  • Place a sheet of foil loosely over the top during the last 15 minutes if the crust is getting too dark while the center still needs time
  • Letting the loaf cool completely before wrapping it for storage prevents condensation from making the crust soggy

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