The Best Banana Nut Bread

If you’re looking for an easy Banana Nut Bread Recipe that comes out moist and perfect every time, then this is the best homemade recipe you’ll find! Golden brown outside with a soft texture inside, you’ll get both banana and nuts in every bite. Easily the best use of your cast iron loaf pan.

Banana Walnut Bread

Do you have recipes that are passed down in your family from generation to generation? Those beloved cookbooks where the binding is gone, pages are missing, and the writing is hard to read? We do too. And this, this is one of those recipes that will be passed down for ages to come because it never fails and tastes fantastic every time.

There are many ways to make banana bread. Some like it with cinnamon and nutmeg. Some don’t want the nuts. Some have zucchini or chocolate chips. But no matter how you make it, there are a few things about a good banana bread that remain: it should be golden brown, and banana should be tasted and seen through little brown specks in every slice of bread.

What is a quick bread?

There are many kinds of quick breads similar to banana bread. A quick bread is known for the use of baking powder and/or baking soda as a levening agent. That means there is no yeast in use in the dough or batter, thus making a bread quicker to prepare and bake. Quick breads can be anything such as Applesauce Bread, Maple Bacon Quick Bread with candied bacon, Zucchini Bread, of Muffins that use a batter or recipes such as Scones, and Biscuits that produce more of a dough.

How to Make Banana Bread

Start by sifting together the dry ingredients. It’s really important that you truly sift here as it will prevent clumps, make the bread light and fluffy, and ensure all your leavening agent is dispersed properly.

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Next, mash the bananas with the sugar and oil. I find it easiest to use a hand mixer for this step. Once combined, add one egg at a time and mix in.

To another large bowl add half of the dry ingredients, half of the wet ingredients, half of the milk, and half of the nuts. Use a hand mixer to quickly combine. Add the remaining ingredients and mix.

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Pour into a greased cast iron loaf pan and bake in the oven for 1 hour at 325F. After that, do a toothpick test. If still not done in the middle, tent with a piece of tinfoil and bake for another 20 minutes. Allow the bread to cool in the loaf pan for another 20 minutes or so before removing to a wire rack to cool almost fully. Once mostly cooled, slice into 1/2 inch thick pieces and dollop with butter. There’s not much better than warm banana bread and a pad of butter.

How to Store Banana Nut Bread

Once fully cooled, the banana bread can be stored wrapped in plastic wrap within a Ziploc bag, or tinfoil in a cool, dark place for up to 4 days at room temperature. The same method, but in the refrigerator will last you up to a week. Remember to remove as much air as possible from the bag to prohibit mold growth. Note that the refrigerator can dry out the banana nut bread slightly. Restore moisture by dampening a paper towel, wrapping the banana in it and microwaving for about 30 seconds.

To freeze the loaf, wrap in two layers of plastic wrap and freeze whole, or cut into slices with a piece of parchment paper in-between each slice so you can thaw as the craving strikes. Frozen loafs are good for up to 4 months. Always place a sticker on the plastic wrap and mark the date made. To thaw, simply leave it out on the counter overnight.