The crunchy texture combined with the rich flavor of this banana and walnut bread recipe will make your mouth dance.
Easy to find ingredients
Frequently I have ripe bananas lying around that no one wants to eat. I don’t like throwing them out so I put them to good use. My favorite way to use unwanted bananas is to bake my banana and walnut bread. The bread gets eaten in a flash. In addition to ripe bananas and walnuts, the remaining ingredients, like flour, sugar, butter and eggs, are the standard in most kitchens. So, you can make it anytime without the extra trip to the grocery store. In this recipe I also replace butter with sunflower seed oil, but you can use melted butter instead.
Tip: If the bananas are getting too ripe, but you don’t have time to bake, put them in the freezer. Then, when you’re ready to bake, take the frozen bananas out of the freezer, thaw them, and use to bake your bread.
Take your standard banana bread up a notch
Although bananas alone still make this bread recipe delicious, I like to throw in some walnuts into the mix to give the bread a crunchy texture, richer flavor, and added nutrients. Walnuts are an excellent source of Alpha-Linolenic Acid (2,500mg per 1/4 cups or 28 grams serving) an essential omega-3 fatty acid that is know to have positive effects on the body and brain function. They are also a good source of fiber great for your tummy’s health.
Magic touch of sour cream
To balance the taste of bananas and walnuts, I like to add a few tablespoons of sour cream to this recipe. It complements all the flavors beautifully. You can also use mascarpone cheese if you prefer a less tangy taste.
Ideal flour for this Banana and Walnut Bread recipe
In the U.S. and Canada, even though the traditional All-Purpose flour will work just fine, my favorite flour to use in this recipe is wheat flour from Poland, “Tortowa” type 450. It’s a more delicate flour, great for pastries and beautifully balances the “heaviness” of the bananas, making the bread less dense.
Banana & Walnut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- ½ cup sunflower seed oil (can be replaced with unsalted butter)
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 very ripe bananas
- 1 cup raw walnuts
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- ⅓ tsp salt
- ⅓ tsp cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the over to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius).
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Prepare a loaf pan by greasing it with sunflower seed oil or coconut oil.
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In a medium mixing bowl, using a metal spoon, mix sunflower seed oil and coconut oil with brown sugar.
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Add sour cream and continue mixing.
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Add eggs, one by one, and continue mixing.
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Then add salt, vanilla extract, and cinnamon if you like.
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Mush the bananas using a fork and add them to the mixed ingredients. Mix them all together.
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Chop the walnuts and add them to the mixture and mix them with the banana batter.
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In a separate mixing bowl, mix together flour with baking soda.
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Slowly combine the mixed flour with the wet banana and walnut mixture and gently stir until the batter is uniform.
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Pour the mixture into the loaf pan.
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Bake for about 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick if the bread is fully baked in the middle. If the toothpick comes out wet, add another 5 - 10 minutes.
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Let it cool for 10 - 15 minutes. Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee, or serve it toasted for breakfast with some butter. Yum!
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