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Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread

Brown sugar banana nut bread with a deep amber, extra-moist crumb—walnuts throughout and a caramel-colored crust from packed brown sugar. Simple one-loaf method bakes into a tender, sliceable banana loaf with rich flavor in every bite.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana loaf base
  • 3 bananas Ripe, mashed
  • 0.5 cup butter Melted
  • 1 cup brown sugar Packed
  • 2 eggs Large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 1 cup walnuts Roughly chopped

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, so the loaf bakes evenly from the start.
  2. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar together until smooth, creating a uniform caramel-colored base.
  3. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract until glossy and fully combined.
  4. Stir in the mashed bananas until fully incorporated with no dry banana streaks.
  5. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until just combined for a tender crumb.
  6. Fold in the walnuts so they’re evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, filling it evenly to the corners.
  2. Bake at 350°F for 60–70 minutes until a deep golden brown crust forms and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  3. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out to help the loaf set without steaming.

Notes

For the best caramel undertone, pack the brown sugar firmly before mixing so it melts into a darker crumb as the loaf bakes. Store the loaf at room temperature, wrapped, for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months. For a lighter swap, replace half the butter with an equal amount of neutral oil, which keeps the loaf moist while reducing saturated fat.