I perfected this banana bread recipe almost 10 years ago because everyone I know who loves banana bread always will share a loaf and say, “This is the BEST banana bread!” But every time I try it, I’m disappointed. It’ll be moist and sweet and banana-y, but it always seems to be missing something. Turns out, it’s brown sugar! Nobody I know solely uses brown sugar in their banana bread recipe, if they even use any at all. This Brown Sugar Banana Bread, in my opinion, IS the best banana bread ever. It is soft, moist, and has caramelized banana flavor. This recipe comes with an optional pecan streusel topping as well. The bread is perfectly delicious with it, but if you want to give it a little something extra, do the topping. It adds a nice crunch and a little extra sweetness. BROWN SUGAR BANANA BREAD WITH PECAN STEUSEL TOPPING Makes 1 loaf INGREDIENTS:
Bread: 4 bananas, very ripe 5 tbsp. butter, melted 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 2 tsp. molasses 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 1/8 tsp. salt Pecan Streusel Topping: (optional) 2/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped 3 tbsp. flour 3 tbsp. brown sugar 2 tbsp. butter, melted INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350° F. Generously grease a loaf pan of line with parchment paper. (If you’re doing the topping, I would recommend using parchment paper and leaving a little excess on the sides so you can lift the loaf out of the pan after it’s cooled.) In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the topping until well combined and crumbly. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. Add melted butter and brown sugar and mix until smooth. Mix in eggs and vanilla until smooth, then add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the batter. Bake at 350° F for 45-50 if you aren’t doing the topping, or 55-60 minutes with the topping, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pan for 15-20 minutes. Flip the loaf out of the pan or lift it out using the parchment paper, and finish cooling on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Wrap with plastic wrap once completely cooled.
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I have been in such a banana mood lately! Banana cream pie, Banoffee pie, banana oatmeal, banana pancakes, banana bread... I want it all! These muffins combine everything I love with bananas - brown sugar, maple, and pecans. They are moist, sweet, perfectly banana-y, and topped with a crispy pecan streusel. BANANA MAPLE MUFFINS WITH PECAN STREUSEL Makes 10-12 muffins INGREDIENTS:
Pecan Streusel: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/4 cup melted butter Muffins: 2 overripe bananas (black skins are great!) 1/3 cup sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. salt 1/3 cup vegetable oil 2 eggs 1/2 tsp. maple extract 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a muffin pan or line with muffin cups. In a small bowl, mix together all ingredients for the streusel until well combined. Set aside. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, oil, eggs, and maple extract until smooth. In a separate small bowl, mix together the flour and baking soda, then add to the wet ingredients. Stir just until flour is moistened. Do not overmix. Spoon the batter in the prepared muffin cups until about 2/3 full. Top each muffin with about 1-2 tbsp. of the pecan streusel, until the top is fully covered. Bake the muffins at 350° F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. These muffins have a light and fresh citrusy flavor, but a slightly dense, rich texture similar to a pound cake. They look super cute too, so they would be great for entertaining over brunch. A few different options for this recipe:
LEMON ROSEMARY MUFFINS Makes 1 dozen muffins INGREDIENTS:
Muffins: 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup canola oil or olive oil 3/4 cup sugar Zest of 1 lemon 2 tbsp. lemon juice 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 cup honey or vanilla flavored Greek yogurt 2 eggs 1 1/2 cup flour 1 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary Glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar 3-4 tbsp. lemon juice Rosemary sprigs, to garnish INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a muffin tin or line with paper liners. In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, and fresh rosemary. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, oil, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix in the yogurt, then the eggs. Add the flour mixture and mix until we’ll combined. Divide the batter evenly amongst 12 muffin cups on you prepared muffin pan. Bake at 350° F for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 2 minutes. While the muffins are cooling, in a small bowl, mix together the ingredients for the glaze. Remove a muffin from the pan and dip the top in the glaze. Top it with a little sprig of fresh rosemary, then place it on a wire rack to cool. Repeat with the remaining muffins. This recipe is a sure hit! Everyone who's ever had this pumpkin bread raves about it! INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 cups flour 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cups brown sugar 2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. nutmeg 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup vegetable oil 4 eggs 2/3 cup water 2 cups canned pumpkin INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 2 loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Make a well in the dry mixture and add all remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth. Divide batter evenly into the prepared loaf pans. Bake at 350° F for 55-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a wire rack. INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tbsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. nutmeg 2 cups sugar 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 1 tbsp. vanilla 2 cups grated zucchini (squeezed to remove excess moisture) INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease 2 loaf pans. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, mix together the sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and zucchini. Pour this mixture into the large bowl with the flour mixture and mix until well blended. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pans and bake at 350° F for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the loaves in the pans for 20 minutes, the flip out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. This is my favorite banana bread recipe. The brown sugar adds a caramelized depth to the sweetness of the bread and yields a deliciously moist finished product.
INGREDIENTS: 4 very ripe bananas (black skins) 5 tbsp. melted butter 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 2/3 cup flour (Gold Medal Better for Bread is preferred, but all-purpose will do) 1 tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. salt INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease a loaf pan. Mash the bananas in a large bowl. (I like to use a potato masher, but just mashing them with the back of a wooden spoon or a fork works just as well.) Mix in the butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir until well blended. Then add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until smooth. Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake at 350° F for about 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a wire rack. |