Cinnamon Banana Nut Bread

This is one of my favorite fall desserts. It is so warming and it has all the flavor of the traditional banana bread but with all the fall vibes. It is great for breakfast with coffee or dessert with peanut butter, glaze, grill it up and top it with vanilla ice cream. How ever you serve this up it is sure to please. It is so tasty and simply perfect in my book. Let’s get started.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 stick butter – melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 bananas – smashed
1/2 cup buttermilk – room temp
2 eggs – room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans – roughly chopped (reserve 2 tbsp)
1/4 cup rolled oats (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350*. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter/oil and parchment. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon until well combined and set aside.
3. In a separate bowl smash the bananas and add both sugars. Whisk together until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time making sure to whisk until combined before adding the next.
4. Add the buttermilk and vanilla and whisk to combine well.
5. Add the wet to the dry and fold together until almost combined. Add the pecans and fold together until combined and there are not clumps of dry flour.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread out evenly.
7. (optional) combine the oats and reserved pecans and sprinkle over the top of the batter evenly.
8. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. This time may vary depending on your oven and if you use a glass or metal baking loaf pan. To check if it is done, insert a toothpick in the center of the bread and if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs you are good to go. Remove and let cool 30 minutes in the pan and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely before cutting. Use a serrated knife to cut breads as this help to keep the breads from crumbling and falling apart.

• Store in an airtight container for 1 week, chilled in the fridge for 2 weeks or you can slice it and wrap in wax paper and freeze in a freezer safe container or a ziploc bag. Make sure to label it. lol. I’ve forgotten a time or two to do this.
• Serve with coffee for breakfast – grilled with ice cream for dessert – top it with a nut butter for dessert.
• If you are allergic to cinnamon please omit it and just make this a plain banana nut bread. It is absolutely delicious as well. This goes for the nuts as well. You can sub out the nuts for sunflower seeds instead. If you are allergic to bananas omit them and add in 1/3 cup veg oil for the added moisture. It will not have the classic banana flavor but it will be delicious.
• Add in chocolate chips for a bite of chocolate. It is so good.
• Melt a bit of nutella in the microwave and fill the loaf pan half way with the batter. Drizzle over the melted nutella. Spoon over the remaining batter and level off. bake as directed. There may be a bit of chocolate on the toothpick when checked.
• If you don’t want to add the oat/pecan mixture on top, mix together some cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the top or you can add a bit of wheat germ to the top.