Banana Bread with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel {Naptime Webisode}
This is the latest installment of my Powernap column. The series where I share quick, easy food that can be made for all kinds of situations. Powernaps are short and sweet, and so are these recipes. These are the things I make in a jiffy when I need a quick snack, am in the mood for a recipe experiment, or simply need to clean out the pantry.
Last week I noticed my stash of frozen bananas had grown a little too large. I always have at least three in there for emergency banana bread, but during the holidays I didn’t bake any so the pile had grown to nine. We were in need of some fresh snack food so this was perfect timing. Underneath the bananas I also found the last of the pecans I’d use to make Spiced Pecan Snowballs for Christmas. With these two things in hand, and an hour until school let out, I decided to whip up a fresh loaf of banana and top it with a crunchy pecan streusel. I had never topped banana bread with anything before, but there is a first time for everything, right?
One of the things I love about my go-to banana bread recipe is that it really can be made with one bowl. I consider this the epitome of easy baking, a necessity when it comes to powernap baking. (It is hardly possible to say something comes together easily when it includes dirtying more than three bowls!) Since I had the video camera nearby I decided to film this little baking project. It is really this easy to make and is truly one of our favorite snacks.
Recipe
Banana Bread with Cinnamon Pecan Streusel
Ingredients
| 8 T. | (1 stick) unsalted butter |
| 1 c. | sugar |
| 2 | eggs |
| 1 t. | good vanilla extract |
| 3 | ripe bananas, mashed (I mash them in a bowl with a fork) |
| 2 c. | all-purpose flour |
| 1 t. | baking soda |
| ½ t. | nutmeg |
| 1 t. | cinnamon |
For the streusel:
| ½ | cup light brown sugar |
| ½ | cup all-purpose flour |
| ¼ | cup unsalted butter, room temperature |
| ¼ | cup pecans |
| 1 | tablespoon ground cinnamon |
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Butter and flour a standard 9×5 loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl mix together the butter and sugar until fully combined. Add eggs and vanilla extract, mix well. Add mashed bananas, mix again until completely combined.
3. In a large measuring cup whisk flour, soda, nutmeg and cinnamon.
4. Working slowly, stir the flour mixture into egg mixture. Keep stirring until all flour is fully incorporated. The batter may still be a little lumpy from the bananas, this is normal. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
5. To make the streusel: pulse the butter, cinnamon, pecans and brown sugar a few times in a mini-chopper. Or, finely chop the pecans and mix them with the melted butter, cinnamon and brown sugar in a bowl. Press the mixture lightly onto the top of the banana bread.
6. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until top is golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, carefully remove it from the pan and let it cool on a wire rack before serving.
Naptime Notes
Naptime Recipe Serving ideas
This is an ideal snack for after school and was great for breakfast the next morning as well!
Naptime Stopwatch
10 minutes for the batter, 1 hour baking time
Naptime Reviews
This was a hit with my daughter when she came home from school!
Kelsey, just double checking something in the recipe… in your video, it sounds like you melted the butter before mixing it with the sugar, eggs, and banana. However, in the recipe, you just list a stick of butter that should be mixed with the sugar. Is the butter supposed to be melted? Thanks!
Hi Sarah – it can be done either way. I’ve done it both ways and don’t really notice a difference. 🙂
Wow! what a very healthy combination of food plus pecans! this is great! more tips on http:www.toastedpecans.org
[…] Banana bread is always a mainstay during the year. We like to toast it and eat it with cream cheese and fruit. […]
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