Cinnamon Banana Bread
Equipment
- 2 large mixing bowls
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
- 1 9x5-inch loaf pan
- 1 set measuring cups
- 1 set measuring spoons
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 butter knife or offset spatula
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas mashed
- 120 gram granulated sugar
- 50 gram light brown sugar packed
- 80 gram unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 5 milliliter vanilla extract
- 190 gram all-purpose flour
- 5 gram baking soda
- 2 gram baking powder
- 3 gram fine salt
- 8 gram ground cinnamon
- 1 gram ground nutmeg optional
- 120 milliliter plain yogurt or sour cream room temperature
- 30 milliliter milk room temperature
- 40 gram chopped walnuts optional
- 15 gram coarse sugar optional for topping
- 2 gram ground cinnamon optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F) and lightly grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg, whisking to remove any lumps.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Stir in the yogurt (or sour cream) and milk until the batter is smooth and no dry pockets remain, being careful not to overmix.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts if using, distributing them evenly through the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a butter knife or offset spatula.
- In a small bowl, mix the coarse sugar and ground cinnamon for the topping if using, then sprinkle evenly over the batter.
- Bake the loaf on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the banana bread cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.
- Carefully run a knife around the edges, turn the loaf out onto the cooling rack, and let it cool for at least 5 more minutes before slicing.
Notes
For best results, use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots, as they add both sweetness and moisture to the loaf and deepen the banana flavor. Avoid overmixing once the flour is added, since too much stirring can make the bread tough instead of tender. If the top is browning too quickly near the end of baking, tent the loaf loosely with foil and continue baking until the center is done. Letting the bread rest and cool helps it slice more cleanly and allows the cinnamon and banana flavors to develop. This bread keeps well wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days and can also be frozen in slices for quick breakfasts or snacks.
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