This banana nut bread recipe is made with over-ripened bananas and chopped walnuts. It’s moist and perfect for using up older bananas.
This is the best banana bread recipe. I’m not kidding when I say that either. It is my tried and true recipe that never fails.
I have eaten many banana nut and banana breads over the years, but they simply don’t compare.
I even worked in a local bakery for a couple of years and this is better than theirs.
This delightful bread combines the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with the satisfying crunch of chopped nuts, creating a perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Whether you’re looking for a yummy breakfast option, a tasty afternoon snack, or a comforting treat to share with friends and family, this banana nut bread is sure to hit the spot.
This banana nut bread makes two loaves of 9″x5″ bread pans. I used to only have one, but over the years eventually purchased a second one. If you only have one as well, place the rest of the batter in the fridge while you wait for the first loaf to bake.
Let’s get baking and fill your home with the irresistible aroma of fresh, homemade bread!
Want more fall desserts? Check out these fun fall cupcakes.
Banana Nut Bread Ingredients
- Over-Ripened Bananas
- Large Eggs
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Granulated Sugar
- Shortening
- Chopped Walnuts
Tips
To make the best banana nut bread you must use over-ripened bananas. This means that they are turning from yellow to brown.
The browner the better, but not rotten.
This allows for more of a rich banana flavor, they’re softer and blend very well for mixing and baking, and the starch has had a chance to sweeten.
I’ve used fresh ripe bananas that were still yellow and had no browning to them and the bread lacked any banana flavor.
And definitely avoid using green bananas.
If your bread has been coming out dry it needs more oil, butter, or shortening. It helps make moist banana bread.
Additionally, adding too much flour and/or other dry ingredients can cause it to dry out as it bakes.
Because banana nut bread is dense it needs to bake at a low oven temperature over a longer length of time.
Baking it at 375 degrees Fahrenheit instead of 350, for example, would cause overcooked, dry bread on the outside before the center is cooked fully.
Baking Soda vs Baking Powder in Banana Bread
Baking soda and baking powder are both leavening agents used in banana bread, but they work differently.
Baking soda requires an acidic ingredient, like mashed bananas or yogurt, to activate and produce carbon dioxide for leavening, while baking powder contains both an acid and a base, allowing it to leaven without additional acidic components.
Using baking soda results in a denser, more moist bread, whereas baking powder can create a lighter, airier texture.
How to Make the Banana Nut Bread
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 9″x5″ loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Place peeled over-ripe bananas in a medium-sized bowl with the eggs. Mash bananas and the eggs together. Break up as many lumps as possible, a potato masher works great.
- Cream together the shortening and sugar in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer or a stand mixer/electric mixer using a paddle attachment.
- Add the banana mixture to the sugar/shortening mixture and blend.
- If you have a sifter, add your dry ingredients – flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Sifting helps break up any lumps before you add them to your wet ingredients. If you do not have an old-fashioned sifter use a whisk or fork to break up lumps.
- Sift over wax paper or parchment paper so it’s easy to pick up and pour into the mixer afterward.
- If you want banana bread without nuts stop here and pour batter into the greased pans. We often make one loaf with walnuts and one without. Alternatively, add chocolate chips if you want to add extra sweetness.
- Chopped walnuts in the store tend to be still rather large so it’s best to hammer them down with a mallet. I prefer to get them smaller than the size of a pea.
- Place a cup of chopped walnuts into the batter and blend. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 75-95 minutes. Time varies depending on different ovens. Over the years, the cooking times have varied for us with different ovens and now we have a double-door oven. Both of those deliver different cooking times.
- Check for doneness by doing the toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the thickest part of the loaf. It should come out clean if it is done.
- Once it is done baking, allow it to cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing it from the pan and slicing.
Storing Leftovers
It doesn’t have to be refrigerated but does need to be kept in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out like other bread loaves. Banana nut bread typically lasts for about 4-6 days at room temperature when stored properly in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. If you refrigerate it, it can last up to 7-10 days before getting too dried out.
Freezing
To keep the bread longer, it can be kept frozen for up to 6 months.
First, allow it to fully cool after baking.
The bread can be cut into individual slices for easier thawing or left as a whole loaf.
To freeze it, wrap it in plastic wrap first, then aluminum foil, and place it in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Store it in the freezer for up to 3-4 months for the best quality.
Thawing
Remove the bread from the container and take off the foil and plastic wrap.
Allow it to sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours until the center is no longer frozen.
Recommended Recipes
- 10 Easy Fall Desserts
- Banana Pudding Drop Cookies
- Carrot Cake Drop Cookies
- Cherry Pop-Tart Hearts
- Instant Pot Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Applesauce
- No Yeast 1-Hour Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Bars
- Texas Roadhouse Honey Cinnamon Butter Monkey Bread
The Best Banana Nut Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 Over-Ripened Bananas
- 4 Large Eggs
- 3 ½ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Shortening
- 1 cup Chopped Walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300° F. Grease two 9"x5" loaf pans and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mash bananas and eggs until they reach a smooth consistency with very few lumps.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream sugar and shortening. Add in vanilla extract and banana/egg mixture. Mix well. Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together and slowly blend into batter.
- Chop walnuts into small pieces and blend into batter. Divide batter evenly into prepared pans.
- Bake for approximately 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Be careful not to over bake. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the thickest part of the loaf and if it comes out clean it is done.
Leave a Reply