Description
Scrumptious honey vanilla banana bread showcases sweet ripened bananas blended with golden honey and delicate vanilla. Rich layers of flavor complement warm comfort, inviting home bakers to savor each delectable slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 medium or 2 large bananas (about 1 ½ cups), mashed
- ½ cup (170 grams) honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60 milliliters / 2 fl oz) milk
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or paste
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional mix-ins or toppings: crushed nuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter glaze, or frosting
Instructions
- Oven Prepping: Warm the oven to 325°F and generously grease an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- Wet Ingredient Fusion: Whisk melted butter and honey until blended, then introduce eggs, thoroughly mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until achieving a smooth, consistent texture.
- Dry Ingredient Assembly: Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl, ensuring even distribution of leavening agents and creating a uniform dry mixture.
- Batter Creation: Delicately fold wet ingredients into dry components using minimal strokes to prevent overworking, maintaining a light and airy consistency. Optional embellishments like sliced bananas, chopped nuts, or chocolate chips can be incorporated at this stage.
- Pan Filling and Decoration: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading evenly. For visual appeal, arrange banana slices on top with cut sides facing upward.
- Baking Process: Place pan in preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should emerge completely clean.
- Cooling and Serving: Rest bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool for a minimum of 30 minutes before slicing to preserve structural integrity and optimal texture.
Notes
- Prevent Dense Texture: Fold ingredients gently and minimally to keep the bread light and fluffy, avoiding overmixing which can make the bread tough.
- Ripeness Matters: Use very ripe, almost black bananas for maximum natural sweetness and deeper flavor complexity.
- Check Doneness Precisely: Test bread with a toothpick at the 50-minute mark; if it doesn’t come out clean, continue baking in 5-minute increments to ensure perfect moisture.
- Pan Preparation Tip: Grease pan thoroughly and consider using parchment paper for effortless bread removal and zero sticking.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50-55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg