Banana Nut Bread
This tried and tested, super moist Banana Nut Bread Recipe is perfect to use up those ripe bananas.
This no-fuss, easy recipe takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. A handful of chopped pecans complements the banana flavor and adds a delicious crunch.
The batter takes 10 minutes to prep. It’s a great recipe to make last minute.
And baking time for this banana nut bread is 75 minutes. So, in less than 90 minutes, you’ll have warm, moist, and slightly sweet banana bread that you can be proud of.
Banana Nut Bread
To make the batter, you’ll need ripe bananas, eggs, buttermilk, and pecans (substitute walnuts if you prefer).
And you can serve this banana nut bread straight out of the oven! It’s firm enough that you can slice it even when it’s still warm.
Nothing beats a warm slice of banana bread for breakfast. For greater nutritional value, add a dollop of cream cheese.
Blend all the ingredients in your mixer. Pour the batter into a loaf pan in less than 90 minutes. You have delicious warm banana nut bread.
Not to mention that your house is going to smell amazing.
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
BANANAS – Use ripe, soft bananas.
Shortcut: Bake a few unpeeled bananas at 300° Fahrenheit for about 10 minutes if your bananas aren’t ripe enough.
BUTTERMILK – Adds a hint of tanginess designed to balance the sweet flavor. Adding buttermilk results in a softer banana bread with a rich texture.
TIP – Easy Buttermilk Substitution
Don’t have buttermilk on hand? No problem. You can easily make your own in about 10 minutes. Simply add one tablespoon of vinegar (or lemon juice) to one cup of milk.
This also works with non-dairy milk, such as oat milk!
OIL – You can use a neutral vegetable oil such as canola or sunflower oil.
EGGS – You’ll need two large eggs.
VANILLA EXTRACT – This is an optional ingredient. But I think the flavors come together when you add a bit of high-quality vanilla extract.
FLOUR – All-purpose flour is perfect.
BAKING SODA – Because this recipe uses buttermilk, which is acidic, baking soda as the leavening agent works best.
SUGAR – If your bananas are overripe, you can decrease the amount of sugar. But I’ve found that half a cup of sugar adds perfect sweetness.
NUTS – You can use walnuts or pecans.
How To Make Banana Nut Bread
- Combine wet ingredients in a large bowl.
- Slowly add sugar, flour, and baking soda. Lastly, add the chopped nuts.
- Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350° Fahrenheit. Insert a toothpick to check for doneness.
TIP – If you are uncertain if your banana bread has fully baked through, use a toothpick to insert into the bread. If it comes out clean, you know the bread is done.
Transfer the bread onto a wire rack and cool completely before serving.
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How To Store Banana Bread
STORE – When I grew up, every household had bread storage containers like this one. For a while, they seemed to be a bit out of fashion. But this is what I use today to store bread. The banana bread will stay fresh for about 3-4 days.
Before eating a leftover slice, I recommend putting the bread into the microwave for about 15 seconds. There’s just something special about warm banana bread.
You can also keep the bread fresh and moist by wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing it in a ziplock bag.
FREEZE – Have you ever wondered if you can freeze banana bread? The answer is a resounding YES! Banana Bread is one of those things you’ll almost always find in my freezer. It’s a great homemade snack.
Banana nut bread is perfect for freezing. After the loaf has completely cooled down, cut ½-inch slices and put them into these reusable freezable bags.
You can also use Ziplock freezer bags, but I’ve been on a mission to reduce single-use plastic whenever possible. So, the banana bread will keep for about 3 months in the freezer.
Tips and Tricks
I use my stand mixer to make this easy banana bread recipe. But you can also use a handheld electric mixer.
If you are using a handheld mixer, I recommend first mashing the bananas with a fork. Then, combine the mashed banana with the wet ingredients and proceed as described above.
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Banana Nut Bread
Ingredients
WET INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium bananas ripe, cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 1 ¾ cup flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit and grease a loaf pan.
- Combine bananas, vegetable oil, buttermilk, vanilla extract, and sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer and beat on medium speed until well combined.
- Spoon flour and baking soda into the batter. Continue to beat until the batter is smooth. Add the chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan.
- Bake at 350º Fahrenheit for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick to check for doneness. If it comes out clean, take the bread out of the oven. Transfer on a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
Equipment
Notes
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.
I love banana bread and this recipe totally hit the spot! Love the idea of adding buttermilk to the batter too!
This is my absolute favorite banana bread recipe! It comes out perfect every time, and we make it often!
I love banana bread but have never tried it with buttermilk. I bet it adds richness and flavor! I can’t wait to try your recipe!
Yum! This banana bread is moist and delicious with some added crunch with the pecans! A great classic recipe.
I have tried so many banana bread recipes, but yours is the best! I made it last night, it was gone. Made it this morning, got crumbs… The recipe is amazing!