Ina Garten Banana Nut Bread Recipe

This Ina Garten Banana Nut Bread is a moist and easy recipe, which is made with ripe bananas and crunchy walnuts. It’s the perfect breakfast or snack, ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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Ina Garten Banana Nut Bread Recipe Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

How To Make Ina Garten Banana Nut Bread

1. Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
2. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas. Stir in the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and optional cinnamon.
4. Make the Batter: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture until they are just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Add Nuts and Bake: Fold in the chopped walnuts or pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly.
6. Cool the Bread: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Tips

• How to get the most banana flavor? The secret is to use very ripe bananas—the ones with plenty of brown and black spots on the peel. They are much sweeter and have a more intense banana flavor.
• How to avoid a dense or tough bread? Do not overmix the batter. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix only until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops the gluten and leads to a tough loaf.
• How do I get the best flavor from the nuts? For a deeper, nuttier flavor, you can lightly toast the chopped walnuts or pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes until fragrant before adding them to the batter.
• Why does my bread need to cool completely? Letting the loaf cool completely on a wire rack is a crucial step. It allows the crumb to set properly, which makes slicing much easier and prevents the bread from being gummy or crumbly.

What To Serve With Banana Nut Bread

This classic quick bread is delicious on its own, but it’s even better with:

• A generous smear of salted butter or cream cheese
• A drizzle of honey or maple syrup
• A hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk

How To Store Banana Nut Bread

• Room Temperature: Store the completely cooled banana bread in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerate: For a longer shelf life, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Freeze: This bread freezes wonderfully. Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.

Banana Nut Bread Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of loaf)
• Calories: ~340 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Fat: 16g
• Sugar: 25g

Nutrition information is an estimate and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Ina Garten Banana Bread Recipe
• Ina Garten Beef And Barley Soup Recipe