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Best Classic Moist Banana Bread with Walnuts

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This banana bread is incredibly moist with a tender crumb, featuring toasted walnuts and a caramelized crust. It’s a simple, foolproof recipe that uses very ripe bananas and brown sugar for deep flavor.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups or 340g)
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 3/4 cup (150g) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup (120g) walnut halves, roughly chopped
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional, for topping)
  • Extra walnut halves for decoration (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease the exposed sides with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Toast the walnuts (optional): Spread the chopped walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the preheating oven for 5-7 minutes, until fragrant and lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
  3. Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth. You should have about 1 1/2 cups.
  4. Add the melted and slightly cooled butter, packed brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
  5. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
  6. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold together just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  7. Gently fold in the toasted, chopped walnuts. Reserve about 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top if desired.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. If using, sprinkle turbinado sugar and reserved walnut halves over the top.
  9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with aluminum foil after 40 minutes.
  10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment handles to lift the loaf out and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas (almost black) for best flavor and moisture. Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense texture. The bread tastes even better on the second day as flavors meld. For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For a vegan version, use flax eggs and melted coconut oil or vegan butter.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, moist banana bread, walnut banana bread, classic banana bread, easy banana bread

Find it online: https://spoonmira.com/best-classic-moist-banana-bread-with-walnuts/