Yummy Banana Nut Bread
Over the holidays, I had intended to make a banana pudding dessert that I really love - it's one of those layered desserts, a bit of a take on banana pudding. With all the other holiday cooking though, I just never got to it and you know what that means of course. I had a bunch of overripe bananas on my hands. And we all know what we do when we have overripe bananas, right?Now, I know that banana bread isn't rocket science, and really just about everybody already has their own favorite recipe, but this one has long been a favorite of mine. This bread is light, moist, flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth tender. I just love the addition of the citrus with the bananas - it really makes the bread pop. If you can get your hands on a Meyer lemon, use it - otherwise a good ole grocery store lemon works just fine.
To me, banana bread has always paired best with walnuts, but use pecan if you prefer, or simply leave them out altogether if you'd rather. The one thing you have to take care with, is not to overcook the bread. Sugars are so concentrated with overripe bananas that it's really not that hard to do, and since all ovens vary and have hot spots, start checking your bread at 45 minutes the first time and then check again accordingly.
Even if you already have a regular banana bread you make all the time, I hope you give this one with citrus a try. Here's how to make it.
For more of my favorite quick breads, pop by my Pinterest page!
Yummy Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 6 very ripe bananas
- 4 large eggs
- Juice of 1 small lemon
- Zest of 1 medium orange
- 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans (metal recommended); set aside.
- Cream the sugar and butter together until fluffy. Add the bananas one at a time until all are incorporated.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one in before adding the next.
- Add the lemon juice and orange rind and mix until well blended and there are no lumps remaining from the banana.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt and add to the mixer about 1/4 cup at a time, mixing in mix well for each addition. Add the chopped walnuts and mix just to stir them in.
- Pour the batter evenly into both of the loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until loaves are firm in the middle and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool the loaves in the pan on a cooling rack until bread pulls well away from the pan and is loose, up to 30 minutes. Turn out onto the rack to finish cooling.
- Freezes well though recipe may be halved.
Notes:
Metal pans are recommended as ceramic tends to overbrown and overcook the bread. I use White Lily all purpose flour. Halves very nicely for a single loaf. The orange zest may also be omitted if you don't have oranges on hand. Leftover, sweet quick breads like this banana bread make great French toast - try it sometime!!
Banana Bread on Demand: If you have no ripe bananas but still want banana bread, just bake them on a sheet pan in a 300 degree F preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until skins are blackened and bananas are soft. Open and remove banana pulp and proceed with recipe.
Caramelized Banana Bread: Instead of adding bananas into batter, slice them lengthwise and brown in a large skillet of 2 tablespoons melted butter. Remove and set aside. Add 2 additional tablespoons of butter and stir in 1/4 cup of light brown sugar. Add to bananas and mash together. Add to batter a little at a time.
Hummingbird Bread: Reduce bananas to 5 and add in one 8-ounce can of undrained crushed pineapple and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to your dry ingredients. Prepare as above. Serve as is, or with a cream cheese frosting - combining an 8 ounce block of cream cheese and stick of butter, adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract and a (1 pound) box of powdered sugar. Beat until creamy and frost bread on tops and sides.
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: Omit citrus and blend in 1-1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract and 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. Fold in 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips and divide batter between pans. Divide 1/4 cup of additional chocolate chips on top of each loaf and bake as above.
Peanut Butter Banana Bread: Omit citrus and combine 1 stick butter with 1 cup creamy peanut butter.
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