Indulge in the heavenly taste of moist banana walnut bread with this easy-to-follow recipe. With a moist, soft texture and the perfect balance of sweet and nutty flavors, this bread is sure to be a hit at any gathering.
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Ingredients and substitutions
Flour – You can use all-purpose flour or replace it with cake flour for a softer, more tender crumb.
Leavening agents – This walnut and banana bread is heavy and needs a significant amount of help to rise in the oven. This is why I use both types of leavening agents here.
Sugars and salt – White granulated sugar acts not only as a sweetener but also holds on to the water, making this bread very moist. You can substitute white sugar with brown sugar if you like.
Fats – I use unsalted butter at room temperature to beat it with the sugar and incorporate air in the batter, while a little bit of vegetable oil will help to keep this walnut banana bread moist for longer.
Eggs – You should use room-temperature eggs for this recipe.
Bananas – You’ll need ripe bananas if you want to get the most flavor and sweetness out of them. You will also need to weigh and then purée your fresh bananas before adding them to the batter.
Vanilla extract – The vanilla flavor goes so well with bananas that I couldn’t resist adding some to the batter.
Cooking tips
Use very ripe bananas. For the best flavor and texture, make sure the bananas are very ripe before puréeing them.
Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing the batter can lead to tough and dense bread. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
Don't open the oven door too early. Avoid opening the oven door during the first 30 minutes of baking, as this can cause the bread to sink in the middle.
Check for doneness with a toothpick. Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread to check if it's done. If it comes out clean, the bread is ready.
Tin the top with a piece of foil. 50 minutes in the oven is a long time and the top of your banana walnut bread can over-brown or burn easily. To avoid this, cover your loaf with a piece of foil when you see that it has turned golden brown and continue baking.
Let it cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely. This will prevent it from falling apart.
Step by step directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8" by 5" (20cm by 13cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Then add the oil and vanilla, and beat until has incorporated.
4. 5. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
5. Add the puréed bananas and beat to incorporate.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on the lowest speed until just combined.
7. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
9. Allow your banana and walnut bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Possible variations
Glaze your bread – Use your favorite sugar glaze or Chocolate ganache to add a delicious layer of sweetness to the top of your banana bread. Make sure that the loaf has cooled down completely before applying the glaze of your choice.
Spiced Banana Walnut Bread - Add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a warm and cozy flavor.
Make muffins instead – You can use this banana walnut bread batter to make muffins. You can bake muffins at the same temperature but you’ll need to reduce the baking time.
Add toppings – Right before baking, you can sprinkle additional crushed walnuts on top of your banana loaf or arrange thinly sliced bananas as an alternative.
Other nuts – A great alternative to walnuts in this banana bread recipe will be pecans.
FAQ
You can store it in an air-tight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat in the microwave for just 10 seconds before serving.
Yes, you can use frozen bananas that have been thawed and puréed. Do not use cold banana purée!
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Recipe card
Banana walnut bread
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or hand mixer and a large mixing bowl
- 8" by 5" (20cm by 13cm) loaf pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 150 g white granulated sugar
- 100 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 250 g bananas ripe pureed bananas (the bananas should be weight without skins)
- 60 g walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8" by 5" (20cm by 13cm) loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer and a bowl), cream together the sugar and unsalted butter until light and fluffy. Then, add the oil and vanilla, and beat until has incorporated.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition until emulsified.
- Add the puréed bananas and beat to incorporate.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on the lowest speed until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cover with a piece of foil if the top browns too much.
- Allow the banana walnut bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
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