Pioneer Woman Banana Nut Bread

Why you’ll like it

Pioneer Woman Banana Nut Bread is essentially a crunchy spiced nut bread with bananas added to give the bread sweetness and moisture. I like to use this recipe as a base and voilà — you end up with a fruit bake or a quick savory bread. Sometimes I love dressing it up a bit and covering it with a creamy cheese mascarpone that I usually put on top of Barefoot Contessa carrot cake. 

In a nutshell, we love it cause:

• it’s SO crunchy
• versatile (10 recipes in 1)
• never fail recipe
• quick whipping it up.

For The Perfect Banana Nut Bread

• To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick in the centre and make sure it comes out with a few moist crumbs.
• If the tops are browning more than you’d like, tent with foil towards the end of baking.
• To store, wrap the bread in foil in an airtight container at room temperature. Otherwise, refrigerate to extend its shelf life.
• Add chocolate chips or dried fruits for extra flavor variations.

What You Need

• Flour mix – 
  • All-Purpose Flour – (1½ cups) Base for the batter
  • Baking Soda – (1 tsp) Leavening agent
  • Kosher Salt – (½ tsp) Balances sweetness (can substitute with sea salt)
  • Baking Powder – (¼ tsp) Provides extra lift
• Fat & Liquids – 

  • Salted Butter – (6 tbsp) Adds richness (use unsalted butter + ¼ tsp salt if preferred)

  • Egg – (1 large) Binds ingredients together

• Spices – 
  • Cinnamon – (½ tsp) Adds warmth
  • Ginger – (½ tsp) Adds a subtle spice
  • Nutmeg – (¼ tsp) Freshly grated for flavor (optional, or adjust to taste)
• Sugar –

  • Granulated Sugar – (½ cup) Sweetener

  • Light Brown Sugar – (¼ cup) Adds moisture and a hint of molasses (substitute with dark brown sugar for a deeper flavour)

• Fruit & Nuts –
  • Ripe Banana – (1½ cups, or about 3 bananas) Adds natural sweetness and moisture
  • Pecans – (1 cup) Chopped for texture. Substitute with walnuts or omit if nut-free. You can also replace the pecans with pumpkin and chia seeds. 
• Variations / Add Ons – 
  • Rolled oats – Turn it into a banana oat bake, by replacing part or all the flour with rolled oats.
  • Turn it into savoury bread – By adding salt and omitting the spices and sugar turns it into a quick savoury bread.

Saving the Banana Nut Bread For Later

To keep your Pioneer Woman Banana Nut Bread fresh and delicious:

• Store leftovers: If you plan to consume the banana nut bread within 2-3 days, in an airtight container at room temperature.  Remember to allow the banana nut bread to cool completely before storing it.
• Refrigerate: To extend its shelf life for up to a week, refrigerate the bread in an airtight container.
• Freeze: Freeze individual slices or the entire loaf wrapped in slices or as a whole loaf in an airtight freezer bag or container. Thaw at room temperature and optionally reheat in the oven or microwave for a warm freshly baked taste. 

Serving The Banana Nut Bread

I’ve discovered several ways how to dress and serve banana bread. You can:

• Serve with butter, and cream cheese or with Cream Cheese Balls.
• Dress with homemade Biscoff sauce or this coconut topping from my favourite Coconut Cake.
• Top the bread with chocolate or fresh strawberries. 
• Toast the bread and spread it with peanut butter.
• Wrap individual slices and pack these lunch box favourites.

Health Info

• Calories: 407.89
• Sugar: 34.54
• Sodium: 311.52
• Fat: 19.29
• Carbohydrates: 56.98
• Fiber: 2.75
• Protein: 4.85