Nana's Secret Banana Nut (Printable)

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

# What You'll 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

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, and vanilla extract in a large bowl until smooth.
03 - Combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
04 - Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle extra nuts on top if desired.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crumb stays impossibly moist for days thanks to buttermilk and those overripe bananas doing all the heavy lifting
  • That crunch of walnuts against the tender bread creates a texture that makes you reach for a second slice before the first one is gone
02 -
  • Overmixing is the number one reason homemade banana bread turns dense and heavy instead of light and tender
  • Starting the oven before you begin mixing means the bread goes in at full temperature, which helps it rise properly
03 -
  • Toasting the nuts in a dry skillet for three minutes before folding them in releases their oils and makes the whole loaf smell incredible
  • If your toothpick comes out with wet batter at 55 minutes, tent the top with foil and keep baking, because every oven runs differently

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