Classic Banana Bread with Walnuts

If you’re looking for that classic down-home taste of a great banana bread rich with walnuts, you’ve come to the right place. In this post I’m going to give you a great go-to recipe you can whip up when you’re in a hurry.

The Banana Dilemma

I’ve addressed the banana conundrum in a couple of other posts, like my Baking with Bananas post and my 20 Amazing Ways to Use Ripe Bananas post. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve purchased bananas only to watch them turn brown and speckled on the countertop.

It’s embarrassing.

Every time I end up with overripe bananas covered in brown spots I have to think of something new to bake. I’ve already covered many (if not most) of the traditional banana recipes, including Easy Banana Berry Cake , Easy Bananas Foster Cinnamon Rolls and Easy Cake Mix Banana Muffins. I have a terrific banana bread that starts with mayonnaise but today I didn’t happen to have any mayo on hand. (Boo!)

No worries! Coming up with a new recipe is never a problem. I’m up for a challenge.

I ended up going with a classic banana bread with walnuts–a simple recipe for folks who don’t have time to mess around. This is a great recipe, y’all!

What is the History Behind Banana Bread?

This was the question on my mind as I perused the web earlier today. Who was the first person to say, “Hey, I think I’ll throw some bananas in this cake batter?” (Who thinks like that?)

I found my answer in a post titled National Banana Bread Day:

Banana bread first became a standard feature of American cookbooks with the popularization of baking soda and baking powder in the 1930s, appeared in Pillsbury’s 1933 Balanced Recipes cookbook, and later gained more acceptance with the release of the original Chiquita Banana’s Recipe Book in 1950.The origin of the first banana bread recipe is unknown, though some speculate it was originated in the 18th century by housewives experimenting with pearlash. The home baking revival of the 1960s and the simplicity of its recipe led to an explosion in banana bread’s popularity.

Here we are, dozens of years later, and bananas are just as popular, if not more so! And they’re one of the few foods out there that’s still affordable.

Speaking of affordability, I’m in the process of writing several posts about baking on a budget. In one of them, I talk specifically about the role bananas can plan in budget-friendly baking. They’re so versatile and perfect for cakes, muffins, breads, and even cookies.

Today, I’m all about the bundt version! Let’s take a quick look at the ingredients for this moist banana bread recipe.

Banana Bread Ingredients

You will find a full printable recipe card for this delicious banana bread at the bottom of this post. For now, check out these simple ingredients. You’ve probably got most on hand.

• room temperature butter, (salted or unsalted, your choice)
• granulated sugar (can substitute brown if you prefer)
• large room temperature egg
• pure vanilla extract
• overripe bananas
• baking soda
• all-purpose flour (unsifted)
• finely chopped walnuts
• powdered sugar (for sprinkling)

That’s it! Easy-breezy stuff, right?

How to Make Classic Banana Bread with Walnuts

You’re not going to believe how quickly and easily this recipe comes together.

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare your pan by spraying with nonstick cookie spray. I decided to make my classic banana bread in a bundt pan. You might opt for a loaf pan. That’s up to you, though the cooking times might vary.

Chop your walnuts and set aside. (I love chopping mine by hand. I’m weird like that.)

Place your room temperature butter in a large bowl. You can use an electric mixer or a stand mixer with paddle attachment. Cream it until light and fluffy. Add granulated sugar and vanilla.

Now it’s time to add your egg and bananas. Some people mash theirs up in advance. Me? I’m lazy. No, really. So, I just tossed ’em into the mixing bowl and stirring whirring. By now my house was smelling pretty divine. (There’s something about the combination of pure vanilla extract and banana that gets me every time.)

After working in the bananas it’s time to add the dry ingredients. Mix at low speed as you add the flour mixture (flour and baking soda combined) to the banana mixture.

Add the walnuts to your batter. At this point you’re going to be tempted to stick your finger in the batter and taste it. (Ahem.) I’m not going to encourage or discourage you from doing this, but keep in mind that raw eggs and uncooked flour aren’t good for you.

I’m not saying I haven’t tempted fate a time or two but it’s probably not recommended.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. You can use a loaf pan, as I mentioned above, but the bake time may vary.

Place in preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden. Banana bread should pull away from the edges of the pan and a toothpick should come out clean.

Place on wire rack to cool.

Once fully cooled, run a butter knife along the edges to make sure there’s no stick-age. (Is stick-age a word?)

Flip the banana bread over and allow it to release naturally.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. (Note the waxed paper underneath. I still managed to cover my entire kitchen in powdered sugar, in spite of this.)

Slice and serve!

I cut mine into individual slices, easier for packing for my friends. You’ll want a thick slice, as this bread isn’t very tall!

To Store Banana Bread:

Place in airtight container (or cover with plastic wrap) and keep in cool, dry place for up to three days. You can refrigerate for up to a week. You can also free (in ziplock bags) for up to two months. Allow to come to room temperature naturally if you do choose to freeze.

What to Expect from this Banana Bread

I might be biased. Okay, I am biased. I’m so crazy about banana bread that I rarely find one I don’t like. But the classic version of this yummy quick bread is so rich, so tasty, that I can’t help but recommend it. It’s absolutely perfect!

This bread has a moist but tender crumb, loaded with flavor. It’s got that sweet banana flavor. . .but not too sweet. Perfect for a bread (as opposed to cake), in my humble opinion.

The sprinkling of powdered sugar on top just sends it over the edge! And those crunchy walnuts? I adore them!

I happened to be baking this one for a friend as a thank you. She’s been fostering nine puppies for me. (Yep, I’m pretty passionate about dog rescue, as well as baking.) For the past seven weeks she’s had these nine pups and their mama in her home. What could I take to thank her?

Duh! Nothing says “Thank you!” like a beautiful banana bread.

Variations on this Banana Bread with Walnuts

This one is perfect just like it is, but you guys know that I love to look for ways to change things up. Here are some ideas I came up with:

Chocolate Chips: In many of my other bananas recipes I throw in chocolate chips. I wasn’t in the mood for chocolate today. (I know. . .weird.) But if you love chocolate you can add a cup of chips to your batter before putting it into the pan.

Peanut Butter: If you’re adding chocolate you might want to also throw in some peanut butter chips. This is a lovely combination with banana.

Glaze it! Make a simple cream cheese glaze to go on top of your banana bread, if you like. You might also consider a chocolate ganache glaze. (Yum! What a great taste combination!) A peanut butter glaze might be fun, too!

Cinnamon: Add a dash of cinnamon to the recipe if you like. Cinnamon and banana are a terrific combination.

Pecans: If you’re not a fan of walnut banana bread feel free to swap out walnuts for pecans.

Butter: Slather with butter while slices are still warm. There’s nothing yummier than the taste of melted butter on warm banana bread.

Banana Muffins: Bake in muffin tins for a smaller tasty treat!

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About the Author

Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.