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Banana Nut Bread With Pecans

Banana nut bread with pecans bakes into a golden loaf with a tender, moist crumb. Toasted pecans pressed into the top caramelize into a crisp, nutty crust while the loaf bakes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 57 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 7 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 3 bananas ripe, mashed
⅓ cup melted butter
  • 0.33 cup butter melted
¾ cup brown sugar
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
  • 1 egg large
1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
  • 1 cup chopped pecans divided

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan so the batter releases cleanly after baking.
Make the banana base
  1. Mix the melted butter into the mashed bananas, then stir in the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients and combine
  1. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt together, then fold into the wet mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
  2. Fold in ¾ cup of the chopped pecans so they’re evenly distributed through the batter.
Assemble the loaf
  1. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and spread it into an even layer.
  2. Scatter the remaining pecans over the top and press gently so they toast and adhere as the loaf bakes.
Bake
  1. Bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top pecans are toasted golden.

Notes

Pro tip: for deeper nutty flavor, toast the pecans in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding them to the batter. Store banana nut bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze slices in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months—thaw overnight in the fridge. For a lighter option, replace half the butter with unsweetened applesauce and expect a slightly softer crumb.