Description

This banana bread recipe features a delightful cinnamon swirl and chopped walnuts, offering a perfect balance of sweetness, texture, and comforting flavor for breakfast or a snack. It’s a wholesome family favorite, transforming simple pantry items into a premium treat.

Ingredients

Scale

3 medium overripe bananas (about 1 cup mashed)
1.75 cups all-purpose flour (210g)
0.5 cup granulated sugar (100g)
0.5 cup unsalted butter (113g), melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
0.5 teaspoon salt
0.75 cup chopped walnuts (75g)
0.25 cup packed brown sugar (50g)
0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Prep Oven & Pan: Preheat your oven to 350(degree)F (175(degree)C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, ensuring the bread won’t stick.
Mash Bananas: In a medium bowl, mash the overripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth but with a few small lumps remaining for texture.
Cream Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, cream together the melted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
Combine Batter: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine. Fold in the chopped walnuts gently.
Prepare Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon for the swirl.
Layer & Swirl: Pour about half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter. Top with the remaining batter, then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top. Use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl the cinnamon mixture into the batter with a few passes, creating a delightful pattern.
Bake: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool Bread: Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes before carefully inverting it onto the rack to cool completely.

Notes

To avoid tough bread, do not overmix the batter once flour is added. Use very spotty, ripe bananas for best sweetness and moisture. For busy cooks, a stand mixer can speed up creaming and mixing steps. Consider adding flaxseed meal or chia seeds for more omega-3s. Store walnuts in an airtight container for freshness.

Prep Time: 22 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Baked Goods
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (80 g)
Calories: 320 calories
Sugar: 30 g
Sodium: 220 mg
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 40 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 4 g
Cholesterol: 50 mg

Keywords: banana bread, walnut, cinnamon swirl, easy breakfast, snack, family favorite, baking, quick meals, wholesome