Nana's Secret Banana Nut Bread (Printable)

A moist, golden banana nut bread with ripe bananas and walnuts that brings comfort and nostalgia.

# What You 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

# How To Make It:

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 ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula. Stop when just combined to avoid overmixing.
05 - Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle extra nuts on top if desired.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
08 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The crumb stays impossibly soft for days thanks to buttermilk doing quiet work in the background
  • That golden crust with scattered walnuts on top makes it look like it came from a bakery window
02 -
  • I once skipped the 10-minute pan rest and cut into it immediately, and the center collapsed into a sad dense wedge I had to pretend was intentional
  • Toasting the walnuts for three minutes in a dry pan completely transforms their flavor from flat to deep and almost buttery
03 -
  • A light dusting of turbinado sugar across the top before baking gives you a crackly sugary crust that people will ask about
  • Folding in a handful of dark chocolate chips alongside the nuts turns this into something that disappears from the kitchen in under an hour

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