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caramelized banana bread

(4 ratings)
thyme4dinner avatar
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Joan Penney
@thyme4dinner
Platte City, MO

I love banana bread and am ALWAYS playing with and revising recipes hoping to finally hit upon the perfect texture, crumb, and wow factor. This recipe will not disappoint. Caramelizing the bananas brings out the depth and intensifies the flavor. The brown sugar and butter work together well to further the caramel flavor.

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Caramelizing the bananas before baking this banana bread adds a richness that's hard to describe. The smell during the caramelizing process is intoxicating. It really brings this simple bread to a whole new level of yumminess. One bite you know this isn't an ordinary banana bread. It's tender, rich, and delicious. The top forms a sugary crust but the rest of the bread is fall-apart tender and full of banana flavor.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(4 ratings)
yield 8 mini loaves
prep time 15 Min
cook time 25 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For caramelized banana bread

  • 1 lb
    ripe bananas, peeled
  • 1 1/4 c
    brown sugar, divided
  • 10 Tbsp
    butter, softened & divided
  • 1 tsp
    cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp
    freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 tsp
    vanilla extract
  • 1
    egg
  • 1/2 tsp
    baking soda
  • 1 tsp
    baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 1/4 c
    buttermilk
  • 2 c
    all-purpose flour
  • 1 c
    toasted pecan pieces (optional)

How To Make caramelized banana bread

Test Kitchen Tips
We made 4 mini loaf pans (instead of 8) so we had to cook ours a bit longer than 20 minutes. Just keep an eye on them and cook until the tester comes out clean.
  • 1
    Preheat oven to 350. Grease loaf pan(s).
  • Caramelizing bananas with butter and sugar.
    2
    In a large frying pan over medium heat, add sliced bananas, 2 Tbsp butter, and 1/4 cup brown sugar. Allow bananas to brown slightly stirring often.
  • Adding cinnamon and nutmeg.
    3
    Add cinnamon and nutmeg.
  • Continuing to caramelize bananas.
    4
    Continue cooking 3-5 minutes.
  • Adding vanilla extract to bananas.
    5
    Add vanilla extract and remove from heat.
  • Butter and brown sugar in a bowl.
    6
    To a large bowl add remaining 1/2 cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar.
  • Creaming butter and brown sugar together.
    7
    Beat until smooth (2-3 min).
  • Adding an egg, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
    8
    Add egg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix well.
  • Adding buttermilk to the batter.
    9
    To mixture, add buttermilk and alternately add flour and caramelized bananas beginning and ending with flour.
  • Mixing well to incorporate ingredients.
    10
    Mix well between additions.
  • Stirring in toasted pecans.
    11
    Stir in toasted pecan pieces.
  • Pouring batter into loaf pans.
    12
    Pour batter into prepared loaf pan(s).
  • Baking caramelized banana bread in the oven.
    13
    Bake at 350 for 40 min if using 9 X 5 loaf pan or 20 min if mini loaf pans, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  • Allowing caramelized banana bread to cool.
    14
    Allow to cool slightly.
  • Last Step: Don't forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network. And don't forget to tag Just A Pinch and include #justapinchrecipes so we can see it too!
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