LAURA LEE ALICE
COOKS
®
Banana nut bread is a simple pleasure that combines the sweet aroma of ripe bananas with the rich flavor of toasted nuts. Each slice is a warm hug for your taste buds, perfect for breakfast or a cozy afternoon snack. Whether you enjoy it fresh out of the oven or toasted with a pat of butter, it's a timeless classic that never disappoints. Enjoy the comforting goodness of this easy recipe.
About the ingredients . . .
• Butter-Adds flavor and moisture to this recipe.
• Eggs-You can use large or extra large. Eggs add structure and bind the
ingredients of this recipe.
• Bananas-Ripe bananas are perfect for this recipe because they are sweeter.
• Buttermilk-Is slightly tangy so it balances the richness of the butter and the
sweetness of the bananas.
• Vanilla-Acts as a flavor enhancer and has a rich, pleasant smell.
• All-purpose Flour-A versatile ingredient that provides structure and a soft,
smooth texture. It also has a mild taste that doesn't interfere with the flavors of
the recipe.
• Sugar-Not only adds sweetness, but helps in browning and moisture retention.
• Baking soda-Acts as a leavening agent and helps the texture of the bread to
become more tender.
• Sea salt-Has a more refined taste than table salt.
• Nuts-Pecan or walnuts are great choices.
Other recipes you might like . . .
Apple Muffins-These are moist, dense and flavorful.
Best Pumpkin Bread-Moist and dense texture with a sweet and spicy taste
Strawberry Streusel Muffins-These are soft with a buttery streusel crunch.
English Muffin Loaf Bread-They have all the characteristics of English muffins
What I like about this recipe:
• With butter, bananas and buttermilk in the ingredients, you know it's going to be moist and flavorful.
• You can actually taste the bananas in this bread.
• The nuts give a textural crunch and flavor.
• It makes 6 to 8 generous servings.
Options
• ½ cup dried cranberries or fresh cranberries that have been halved
• Grated zest from 1 orange
• ½ cup diced apple
• ½ cup chopped dates
Grease and flour your loaf pan. line with
parchment for easier removal (optional).
Try our recipe for Pan Release.
Add your dry ingredients-flour, sugar,
baking soda and sea salt. Stir until just
mixed.
Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for
50 minutes to an hour. Start testing for
doneness by using a toothpick at the 50
minute mark.
Mix the wet ingredients together-butter,
eggs, bananas, buttermilk and the
vanilla.
Fold in the nuts.
Moist and tender.
Banana Nut Bread 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
• ¾ cup butter, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2)
• 5 Tbsp buttermilk (¼ cup + 1 Tbsp)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1¾ cups flour
• 1½ cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 1 cup nuts, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F. You will need a greased and floured 9 x 5-inch loaf
pan. You can line with parchment for easier removal.
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, mix the butter, eggs, bananas, buttermilk and eggs thoroughly
together. For this step I use a hand mixer.
2. Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda and sea salt into the banana mixture; stir until
just mixed; fold in the nuts.
3. Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with additional
nuts (optional). Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour; check for
doneness with a toothpick. Let sit in pan 10 minutes; turn out onto rack or plate
to finish cooling. I like to wrap in plastic wrap while still slightly warm to preserve
the moistness.
Recipes are like stories; they can change from person to person. Everyone has their idea of how a recipe should be, even
though it may have changed from the original. We will never know the true author of the original recipe, regardless of
what some may say. That's why I go back and look through the oldest cookbooks that I can find. Sometimes it's not the
recipe in the books that I find, but the tiny pieces of handwritten recipes and newspaper articles that are stuck within
the pages. That's where the real story is, finding those simple Southern recipes. -Mac