Brown butter has so many uses and if I can incorporate it into any baking recipe, I do. This banana bread recipe uses beautifully browned butter that adds some nuttiness, richness, and extra flavour to the loaf. In this recipe, I have also added a bit of nutmeg and cardamom which I find are perfect compliments to the browned butter. I prefer banana bread without any add ins but of course if you love chocolate chips or nuts, you can add anywhere from half a cup to a full cup of mix ins. One tip to remember when baking anything is that if you do not have a scale, use the spoon, and level technique when measuring out your flour to avoid adding too much flour and making a dry, overly dense load. Try this recipe out if you are looking for a no fail recipe that is a level above your classic banana bread.
Brown Butter Banana Bread
Equipment
- 1 large loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup 150 grams of unsalted butter
- 1 cup 190 grams packed dark brown sugar
- 5 medium-large very ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups 260 grams all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons 25 grams dark brown sugar (for top)
Instructions
- Brown your butter. To brown butter, place in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. The butter can burn easily after it foams so watch carefully and be prepared to take off heat. Set aside.
- Let your browned butter cool slightly and weigh out 115 grams of browned butter. If there is extra, you can save for the next time you’re making pasta or sautéing vegetables but 150 grams of regular unsalted butter should just make the amount of browned butter you need for this recipe.
- Mash your ripe bananas until smooth and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, add all your dry ingredients and sent aside. Add your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cardamom.
- In a serape bowl beat your brown butter, and dark brown sugar together. Add your eggs one as a time and beat.
- Add your vanilla extract and your mashed ripe bananas.
- Slowly mix in your dry ingredients into the wet banana mixture until just combined.
- Disclaimer: I bake in a large loaf tin 11.5 by 6 inches. You can bake in a smaller loaf tin but it will rise significantly over top the loaf tin.
- Pour your batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Make sure to check doneness as around 45-50 minutes to decide how much longer you will need to bake. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle if your loaf and checking if it comes out clean.
- Let cool for at least 15 minutes when it comes out, carefully turn out of loaf pan, slice warm or wait till it completely cools. Banana bread tastes amazing the next day as well when it is has firmed up and flavours have melded together.
- Store in airtight container for about 5 days or slice and freeze for fresh banana bread for weeks.
- You can enjoy on its own or with toppings like salted caramel, whipped cream, peanut butter Nutella (the possibilities are endless).
