Creating the perfect banana and walnut loaf begins with picking ripe bananas and finely chopped toasted walnuts. This combination ensures a banana and walnut bread that is full of flavour and aroma. It’s a comforting treat for tea-time or a homemade gift for the festive season.
The loaf brings together beloved traditional ingredients for a unique taste and moist texture. By carefully balancing dry and wet ingredients, we achieve a moist loaf. It’s rich in banana flavour and filled with crunchy walnuts.
Preparing this loaf takes about 1 hour of baking and roughly 1 hr 20 mins to prepare. You’ll need 3 overripe bananas and a big handful of chopped walnuts. This recipe guarantees a well-balanced banana and walnut loaf every time.
Topping the loaf with Demerara sugar before baking at 160°C in a fan-forced oven creates a lovely crust. After baking, let the loaf cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then serve warm with ricotta and honey. This loaf is more than a recipe. It’s a slice of comfort and a nod to baking traditions.
Ingredients for a Moist Banana and Walnut Loaf
Making the perfect banana and walnut loaf means picking the right ingredients. We need them to make sure our loaf is moist and inviting. Here’s what we’ll use:
- 225g plain flour
- 100g softened butter, plus a bit extra for greasing
- 140g caster sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 very ripe bananas (approximately 500g)
- 85g chopped walnuts
- 50ml milk
- 2 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Adding 85g of chopped walnuts gives our loaf a delightful crunch. The 4 ripe bananas, about 500g, are the heart of our recipe. They bring deep flavour and texture. Butter and milk are necessary too. They keep the loaf moist, so every slice is perfect.
The easy banana and walnut loaf includes eggs to add height and structure. We also add a bit of salt and pure vanilla extract. These enhance the loaf’s flavour beautifully.
Here’s a summary of what we need for the recipe:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Plain flour | 225g |
| Softened butter | 100g plus extra for greasing |
| Caster sugar | 140g |
| Baking powder | 2 tsp |
| Ripe bananas | 500g (approx. 4 bananas) |
| Chopped walnuts | 85g |
| Milk | 50ml |
| Large free-range eggs | 2, lightly beaten |
| Salt | 1/2 tsp |
| Pure vanilla extract | 1/2 tsp |
Step-by-Step Method to Bake a Perfect Banana and Walnut Loaf
Starting your banana loaf begins with heating your oven to 180C. You also need to get your loaf tin ready with butter and parchment paper. This helps your loaf come out easily after baking.
For the Banana walnut bread recipe, first, mix the butter and sugar till it’s nice and fluffy. This step is very important because it makes the loaf moist. Then, add an egg that you’ve beaten into the mix. After that, gently fold in the flour and baking powder. Be gentle to keep the mix light.
Then, it’s time to add the tasty bits – mashed bananas and chopped walnuts. Make sure the bananas are well-mashed for a smooth mix. Here’s a tip: if your bananas are not ripe, you can ripen them quickly. Just put them in the oven for a bit, or leave them out overnight.
Spoon the mix into your tin and smooth it out. Bake it in the oven you’ve already warmed up for about 65-70 minutes at 325 F. It’s ready when you can poke it with a skewer and it comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the tin for a short time. Then move it to a wire rack to cool completely. This way, it sets right and slices easily. From this recipe, you’ll get about 12 slices to share or keep. The bread stays moist for days.
If you prefer something healthier, try swapping in some whole wheat flour or flaxseed for the regular flour. To cut down on sugar, use very ripe bananas. They’re sweeter naturally.
This recipe is flexible to suit your taste. Feel free to skip the walnuts or add raisins instead. Freezing overripe bananas means you’ll always be ready to bake. With frozen bananas, you can make this bread whenever you want.
| Ingredient | Quantity | Weight/Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Mashed ripe bananas | 1 1/2 cups | 345 grams |
| Vegetable oil | 1/2 cup | 118 millilitres |
| Large eggs | 2 | 114 grams |
| White granulated sugar | 1 cup | 200 grams |
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups | 240 grams |
| Vanilla extract | 1 teaspoon | 5 millilitres |
| Baking soda | 1 teaspoon | 5 grams |
| Baking powder | 1 teaspoon | 4 grams |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon | 3 grams |
| Chopped walnuts | 1 cup | 115 grams (3/4 cup goes inside the batter, 1/4 cup for topping) |
Tips and Variations for Your Banana and Walnut Loaf
To make your classic banana loaf extra special, try adding chocolate chips. This gives it a rich, delicious twist. If you love deep flavours, mix in a bit of vanilla extract. And if nuts aren’t your thing, just leave out the walnuts. Don’t worry, your loaf will still be wonderfully textured.
Looking to make it healthier? Replace sugar with honey to boost its nutritional content. Swap in whole wheat flour for all-purpose to add fibre. It keeps the loaf’s original taste. These changes are perfect for different tastes and health needs.
Getting the bananas right is key for delicious banana bread. If they’re not ripe, bake them at 150°C for 15 minutes until black. Or let them ripen on the counter for a day. This ensures your bananas are sweet enough for baking.
Use ripe bananas for moist bread. We add 1 ½ cups of mashed bananas for this. With 6 tablespoons of butter and ¾ cup of sugar, the loaf is perfectly sweet and rich. Follow these tips and variations to bake the best banana and walnut loaf.