Banana bread recipe with macadamia nuts: Because, why not?
What’s all the fuss about banana bread, you ask? Well, you have to try it to know why. I still don’t know why this is called banana ‘bread’ instead of cake but I do know that it’s actually somewhere in between and tastes awesome toasted and slathered with salted butter.
This is also a fool-proof banana bread recipe. Really. Just throw some things together in a bowl, whisk it and bake it to get this awesome loaf full of yummy banana flavour.
We rarely buy more than 4 bananas at at a time so mine is a one banana banana bread recipe. Is that too many bananas in one sentence yet?
You may also like this banana chocolate cake, gluten free almond cake, and chocolate cookie cake. If you are looking for an eggless banana bread recipe, then check out this eggless banana walnut bread recipe.
Banana bread is very photogenic so go ahead and take some pretty shots and tag it on Instagram or Twitter with #ediblegarden.
Banana Bread with Macadamia Nuts
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup sugar I may add slightly less next time
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup plain flour
- 3/4 cup nuts of your choice
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C
- Mash the banana well with a fork and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until soft and the sugar has blended well. Add the eggs and beat more until well combined.
- Add the mashed banana and mix well. Then add the vanilla extract and mix again.
- Next, add the flour and a pinch of salt. Fold in gently until no streaks of flour remain and the batter is lump-free
- Transfer to a greased loaf pan and bake in the pre-heated oven for 40-50 mins or until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool completely before cutting into slices.
Step by step pictures for banana bread with macadamia nuts
Pre-heat oven to 180C / 350F.
Here’s some of the star cast. A banana (because this is a one banana banana bread recipe, remember? Ok, I’ll stop!), 2 eggs, nuts – walnuts being the most popular but I added what I had in hand, a handful of hazelnuts and a couple of macadamia nuts which somehow made their way into my pantry and I have no idea from where.
Step one – mash the banana up. I used a potato masher because something about getting squishy banana pieces on my fingers turns me off.
Next, whisk together 1/2 cup butter at room temperature (ignore that I melted it, I always do that because I forget to put the butter out but please don’t be like me) and 3/4 cup sugar. I used brown sugar but white is ideal.
Once the sugar has completed blended in with the butter, thrown in 2 eggs. You don’t have to beat anything to death or make things fluffy, just combining well will do. So combine the eggs well. Now throw in the mashed banana. Since that’s not a very pretty picture, I am going to quickly move on.
Now, add 1 cup plain flour and a pinch of salt. Some recipes call for baking powder. I didn’t add any and it still came out nice and fluffy so stay with me here, ok? Combine the flour well into the mixture. Again, no excessive beating please.
The final addition – about 3/4 cup of roughly chopped nuts. I gave them a couple of twists in my mixer so they are all of different sizes but that’s ok. It’s banana bread, anything goes. By the way, nuts are optional.
Combine well.
Pour into a greased loaf pan.
Bake in a 350F/180C pre-heated oven for about 40-50 mins, until a skewer inserted into the loaf comes out clean.
Let the banana bread sit in the loaf pan and cool completely. Then transfer to a plate/cake board and cut into 1″thick slices. Why 1″? Because I say so!
You can freeze banana bread for up to a month. Just leave it in the fridge overnight to defrost before serving. Also tastes great toasted, with a pat of butter.
Nags
This banana bread doesn't rise much actually. But it should be soft and moist. Did yours come out hard? Was the banana ripe enough? It needs to be really ripe, almost too ripe.
hardeep
hi Nags,
i loved the way your banana bread looks andtried it yesterday but mine did not rise properly…i followed the receipe and didnt put baking powder …what cud be the reason??
archana
thanks for the recipe… i tried it yesterday n it was yumm… had it hot… with vanilla ice cream n it was heave….. ty.. my husband loved it a lot…
Nags
Thank you so much for letting me know Archana. So glad you both liked the banana bread 🙂
Pari
I love this bread and just do not mind a bite now.
Tina
Soft and spongy bread….
Mriganayani
Nags – I almost became a convert once after I made banana nut muffins – read that post and you will realize my life long battle with bananas.
I left your answers on my blog too.
And yes – maybe – when i visit you – you make these for me – I promise you – will try it. Pinky Promise!
Nags
Done deal! 🙂
Nags
Divya, do you have the eggless banana walnut muffin recipe on your blog? Would love to try 🙂
Nags
hb, what else would i say but yes.yes.YES!