Maple Walnut Banana Bread

Fall is the perfect time to bake, and this Maple Walnut Banana Bread is the perfect way to welcome the new season! Traditional banana bread is baked with the autumnal flavors of maple and walnut, which give this go-to quick bread recipe a warm touch. Serve it warm with butter and honey for an extra dose of sweater-weather happiness that will keep you smiling long after the slice is gone!

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What Is Maple Walnut Banana Bread

Maple Walnut Banana Bread is a banana quick bread with subtle autumn flavors of walnut and maple. It can be made without walnuts, or other nuts, such as pecans, can be substituted according to preference.

A quick bread earns its name from its faster leavening technique. Instead of using yeast to gain a fluffy texture, quick breads typically use baking powder or baking soda. Baker Bettie divides quick breads into those made from batter, like this banana bread, and those made from dough, like scones.

Is Any Special Equipment Needed?

My favorite small appliance is my Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I love because I can turn it on to do its thing while I get the next step ready for my recipe. It’s like having another set of hands that are ready and waiting to do your bidding! Bakepedia agrees with me! They wrote an article about even more benefits of Kitchen Aid stand mixers.

Stand mixers can be expensive, but in my opinion they are worth every penny. I’ve had my Kitchen Aid for about 20 years and I’ve never had a problem with it. And that’s not because it’s collecting dust! I use it a few times each week, enough for me to justify it sitting on my counter full-time. I know of people who inherited old, old Kitchen Aids that work as well (if not better) than a new machine. So like cast iron pans, Kitchen Aids are things that are worth investing in, because you’ll have them for a lifetime!

Do You Have Any Tips or Tricks?

• Don’t overdo the amount of mashed bananas. Depending upon the size of the bananas, you’ll need between 2 and 3 to get 1 cup of mashed bananas. If 3 bananas give you more than 1 cup, you might be tempted to toss in the extra half cup or so. But that could ruin your bread. Using more bananas than the recipe calls for can cause your banana bread to have a soft, mushy center that looks undercooked. You can freeze any leftover mashed banana for future recipes instead.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Once you mix the wet and dry ingredients together, gluten develops as you stir. While plenty of gluten is needed for homemade yeast bread, it’s not something that is wanted in quick breads. Overmixing will cause your banana bread to become chewy and dense. Mix until the ingredients are just moistened and you’ll end up with a loaf of banana bread that is the perfect texture.
• Toss the walnuts in a bit of flour before adding them to the batter. When the nuts are coated in a light layer of flour, they don’t sink to the bottom as quickly. They’ll be distributed evenly throughout the bread, which is right where they belong.

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Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  
  Cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each.
• Add the mashed bananas, maple syrup, milk, and maple extract. Beat well.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture gradually, beating well after each addition, until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
• Gently fold in the walnuts with a spatula or wooden spoon.
• Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake in preheated 325 F oven for 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Looking for More Baked Goods?

• Need an afternoon snack? Give these easy Cinnamon Cream Cheese Puffs a try
• Appetizers are a breeze when you make Cheesy Jalapeno Pinwheels
• If maple walnut isn’t your thing, you might like our Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Maple Walnut Banana Bread

Recipe by Chicken Soup with DumplingsDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Total time

1

hour 

20

minutes

Maple and walnut give this go-to quick bread recipe a warm, autumnal touch.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, softened

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup mashed bananas (2 to 3 bananas)

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup milk

• 1 tablespoon maple extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325 F.
  
  Cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix well after each.
• Add the mashed bananas, maple syrup, milk, and maple extract. Beat well.
• In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture gradually, beating well after each addition, until the dry ingredients are just moistened.
• Gently fold in the walnuts with a spatula or wooden spoon.
• Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake in preheated 325 F oven for 60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

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