Description
This moist and flavorful banana bread recipe is a perfect way to use up ripe bananas. It features a tender crumb enriched with butter, walnuts, and raisins for added texture and sweetness. Baked to perfection, this classic banana bread is ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, medium to large
- ½ cup unsalted butter (8 Tbsp), at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped and roasted
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a bread loaf pan measuring approximately 9.25 inches long by 5.25 inches wide and 2.75 inches deep to prevent sticking.
- Roast Walnuts: Place the walnuts in a skillet over medium heat and roast them, stirring continuously to avoid burning. Once toasted, coarsely chop the walnuts and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This helps create a tender texture in the bread.
- Add Bananas and Eggs: Mash the ripe bananas with a fork until chunky like applesauce. Stir the mashed bananas and lightly beaten eggs into the creamed butter and sugar mixture until well combined.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening.
- Mix Dry and Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture, stirring just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Add Flavorings and Add-ins: Stir in the vanilla extract, roasted chopped walnuts, and raisins until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
- Transfer and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the banana bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes to set. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- For extra moisture, you can substitute half the sugar with honey or brown sugar.
- Ensure bananas are very ripe with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Do not overmix batter once flour is added to keep the bread tender and moist.
- Store banana bread wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to a week.
- Optional add-ins include chocolate chips or dried cranberries instead of raisins.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (about 1/10 of loaf)
- Calories: 260
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 33g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
