Banana Walnut Loaf

The banana-nut loaf is one of those classic recipes that everyone loves to make. Whether you’re a beginner in the kitchen or an experienced baker, this is a delicious treat everyone will enjoy. Serve this banana walnut loaf warm with a side of fresh citrus fruit salad and your beverage of choice and watch it disappear.

There’s nothing quite like the smell of freshly-baked banana bread wafting through the house. It’s a comforting, and homey classic that people have been baking for generations. Whether you make it with nuts, extra chocolate chips, or just plain, banana bread is a treat that never goes out of style. In this blog post, we’ll explore some tips on creating the perfect banana bread, creative variations, and common mistakes to avoid. So if you’re ready grab your apron and let’s get baking!

B-A-N-A-N-A-S

Let’s talk everything bananas! Bananas are quite obviously a key ingredient in banana bread. For the banana walnut loaf it’s important to use over ripe bananas, the more over ripened your bananas are the sweeter they will be more prominent the banana flavor will be in your loaf. Your bananas should be just at the point where the peel is completely black, the bananas should be past the point where you’d want to eat them but before the point that they’re actually no good.

Now that you know what type of bananas you need to use in your banana walnut loaf let’s discuss some other important tips about bananas when it comes to banana bread. It is important that you’re following the recipe, and using quantity of bananas recommended. Adding more bananas will not increase the intensity banana flavor in your loaf. In fact adding too many bananas will add too much moisture to your loaf and result in a dense loaf that’s damp in the center. The best way to ensure a prominent banana flavor is by using very ripe bananas. If your bananas are not ripe enough there are several ways to expedite the ripening process.

Tips On Making Moist Banana Bread

• Avoid over mixing; like most quick bread recipes banana bread batter should be mixed only enough to incorporate the ingredients. Over mixing the batter is a guaranteed way to cause your banana bread to be tough and dry. Less is more when it comes to this banana walnut loaf.
• Do not over bake; once your banana walnut loaf has baked for approximately 50 minutes that is the time to begin checking on it. You do not want your banana walnut loaf in the oven for a second longer that it needs to be. At the 50 minute mark use a cake tester or a toothpick to check for doneness. Your tester should come out clean once inserted into the center of your loaf. Once your loaf is done remove it from the oven immediately.
• Add full fat dairy; fat is an important ingredient in baked goods, it helps to tenderize and add moisture into a recipe. This banana walnut loaf uses buttermilk as one of the fat sources in this recipe. Buttermilk adds a wonderful tangy flavor that helps to balance the sweetness in the recipe as well as adding moisture and tenderness to this banana walnut loaf.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to ripen bananas quickly?

Banana bread recipes requires the use of over ripe bananas. If you’re bananas are not quite there yet there are a few different methods to expedite the ripening process. Placing bananas in a warm place or in a paper bag are a couple options if you’re willing to wait a couple of days. The quickest way to ripen bananas would be in the oven. Place the unpeeled bananas on a baking tray in a 300 degree oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Once the banana peel has turned completely black and shiny your bananas are done. The heat in the oven helps to bring out the sugar in the bananas. The only stipulation to this method is your bananas can not be overly green when using this method.

How long should I let banana bread cool before cutting it?

Patience is key during the cooling process. Once the banana loaf is removed from the oven allow it to cool in the pan for approximately fifteen minutes. Allowing the loaf to remain in the pan for too long can make the bottom soggy. Once the banana bread has been removed from the loaf pan allow it to continue cooling on a wire rack.

The smell of fresh baked banana bread makes it tempting to cut into it and start enjoying it while it’s still hot but don’t do it. Banana bread firms up a bit once it cools, cutting into banana bread that is too warm can cause it to crumble, a cooler loaf will yield cleaner slices. Once the banana bread it close to room temperature it is safe to cut into it and start enjoying your creation. If you enjoy warm banana bread you can always pop your slice into the oven for a few minutes before enjoying it.

How long does banana bread last?

Not that there will be any leftover banana bread but in the off chance that you have a few slices left over it is best to store it at room temperature. Banana bread will remain fresh for 4 to 5 days when stored properly at room temperature. Once completely cooled wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap. If you want to extend the shelf life of your banana bread even further it’s best to freeze it. Before freezing slice the banana bread and individually wrap each slice. Once your ready to enjoy a slice remove from the freezer and warm the slice in the microwave or the toaster oven.

How do I keep banana bread fresh?

The best way to keep your banana bread fresh is to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. The banana bread should be stored at room temperature. Storing banana bread in the refrigerator can dry it out. For an added layer of protection once your banana bread is wrapped in plastic wrap you can place it in an air tight container.

Troubleshooting

What happens if I put too much banana in banana bread?

You may be tempered to throw an extra banana or two into your banana walnut loaf recipe just to amp up the banana flavor. Don’t do it, the best way to maximize the banana flavor is to ensure your bananas are super ripe before using them. Adding more bananas than the recipe requires will result in a dense and heavy banana loaf that’s damp in the center. Adding more bananas also adds more moisture to the recipe, too much moisture will weigh down your banana loaf and create an undesirable product.

Why is my banana bread dense and dry?

There are a few factors that can lead to dry banana bread, lets review them so you can avoid the same mistakes. Over mixing your banana bread batter can lead to a dense and dry banana loaf. Mix your batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. Improperly measuring your ingredients can also lead to a dense and dry end product. In this case it is best to use a digital kitchen scale to measure your ingredients ensuring the proper quantities of ingredients are used. Over baking is another reason your banana loaf may be dry. Once your banana bread has been in the oven for approximately 50 minutes begin checking on it frequently. Once a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean you’ll want to immediately remove your banana loaf from the oven.

What causes banana bread to sink?

Adding too much leavening into your banana loaf can cause it to rise significantly while baking and collapse once the loaf begins to cool. First, check the dates on your leavening agents before using them. Second, ensure you’re using the right size loaf pan. Third, be precise when measuring the leavening agents to avoid this pitfall.

Banana bread is such a versatile dessert and can be enjoyed with a variety of mix ins and toppings. No matter how you like to enjoy your banana bread here’s some ideas to spice up your banana bread recipe. Use this banana walnut loaf recipe as a starting point for these variations. Give some of these a try and share your favorites in the comments.

Creative Variations of Banana Bread

• Gluten Free Banana Bread
• Banana Zucchini Bread
• Banana Chocolate Chip Bread
• Banana Orange Bread
• Pumpkin Banana Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Banana Blueberry Bread
• Cheesecake Banana Bread
• Coffee Cake Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread