Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 8x4-inch loaf pans and set them aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Gently stir in the bananas. Add the flour mixture and stir until fully combined. Fold in the walnuts using a rubber spatula.
- Divide the batter between the two loaf pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cover with foil if the loaves darken too quickly. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 5 days. To freeze, wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Notes
- Loaf Pans: If you don’t have two 8-inch loaf pans, add all the batter to one 9-inch loaf pan. The baking time will increase, so I recommend checking on it around 55 minutes, though it may take longer.
- Bananas: Use the ripest bananas you can find; they should be covered in brown spots. The riper the banana, the sweeter the bread, and the moister it will be.
- Nuts: Walnuts are traditionally used in banana nut bread, but almost any other nut will work. Try chopped pecans, hazelnuts, cashews, almonds, or peanuts. If you prefer, you can also omit the nuts for nut-free banana bread.
- Cinnamon: A little touch of cinnamon can add something extra if you like an extra punch of flavor. Try starting with ½ teaspoon and go from there.
- Chocolate Chips: I love adding chocolate chips to banana bread. Peanut butter, white chocolate, or butterscotch chips are also delicious options.
- Dried Fruit: Add raisins, cherries, cranberries, blueberries, or apple chunks.
- Muffins: Instead of banana nut bread, use this recipe to make banana nut bread muffins! For about 18 muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each about ¾ full. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Storage: Wrap the cooled bread tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: This bread freezes exceptionally well. Wrap in plastic wrap, then tightly in foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Converting to Muffins: If you’d like to turn this banana nut bread into banana muffins, line a muffin pan with paper liners and fill each about ¾ full. You should get around 18 muffins. Bake at 350 degrees for 24 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.