Old Soul Banana-Walnut Bread
Moist Old Soul Banana-Walnut Bread is the perfect complement to your morning coffee or tea. The marriage between the rich banana flavor and hearty walnuts makes this recipe irresistible.
This recipe is from Old Soul in Sacramento, California. We have been making this recipe since we first found it.
Isn’t it aggravating when you crave banana bread, and the bananas are still too green?
How to Ripen Bananas
Quick Oven Method: If your bananas are a little green and you want them to ripen quicker, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the initial ripeness of the bananas.
24 Hour Counter Method: If you are willing to wait one day (which I’m not), you can place the bunch of bananas (without separating them) in a paper bag, cover and leave at room temperature. Bananas emit ethylene which causes ripening. Adding an apple to the bag will speed up the process.
Make Banana Bread French Toast
In a large bowl, whisk together these ingredients to make a custard: 4 large egg yolks, 1 cup milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
Pour the custard into a 9 x 13-inch dish.
Slice the banana bread about 3/4-inch-thick and lay it in the custard. Let it soak for 7 minutes, then flip the slices over and let the other side soak for 7 more minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, add a large pat of butter to the skillet and cook 2 or 3 slices of banana bread at a time for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown, firm and cooked through.
Serve warm, with pure maple syrup and fresh strawberries.
Old Soul Banana-Walnut Bread
This moist banana-walnut bread is the perfect complement to your morning coffee or tea.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 16 (1/2-inch) slices 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup banana (3 medium or 4 small ripe bananas), mashed)
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup California walnuts (in halves or large pieces)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour* a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan or coat it with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl combine the butter and both sugars and beat until the mixture looks like a stiff paste – a hand-held mixer is useful for this. Add the banana, eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
- In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Stir them together, using a fork or whisk, so the dry ingredients are well mixed. Add to the banana mixture and beat on low speed just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined, stopping once to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the walnuts and mix again on low speed just until they are incorporated.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or sharp knife inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs on it, but no raw batter.
- Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn the loaf out and onto a rack to cool completely.
Notes
For best results, instead of greasing and flouring, use our Pan Release!
Recipe and photo used with permission from: California Walnuts
recipe by Old Soul, Sacramento, California
