Happy Father’s Day to all the amazing Dad’s out there! We started our morning by making this banana loaf into French toast. It was fantastic!
The honey flavor really shines through and the topping is thick and crunchy, a perfect vehicle for warm, maple syrup.
Anyway, enjoy your day and make this banana bread. It’s moist and full of flavor with a nice crunch.
First make the topping in a medium-sized bowl. Blend together flour and butter with your fingertips. Stir in nuts, honey and salt, then work mixture together with your hands to make crumbs (mixture will be moist). Set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare banana loaf: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg.Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a medium-size bowl, whisk eggs, honey, oil, mashed banana and vanilla. Pour into well in flour with walnuts on top. Stir until mixture is just combined.
Coat a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan (make sure you are using the right size) with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper (if you do not linethe panwith parchment you will lose a fair amount of your crumb topping when you have to dump the loaf out as opposed to being able to just lift it out with the parchment). Coat the parchment with nonstick spray as well.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the topping. Place in a 350o F oven for 55 minutes (for the first 40 minutes of baking, cover the loaf with a sheet of foil as honey browns very quickly). If you lined the pan with parchment you can remove the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack as soon as you have removed it from the oven. Otherwise, cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing.
Look at that crunchy topping!!
Banana Honey Nut Loaf
Topping
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 Tablespoon honey
Pinch of salt
Banana Loaf
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 large eggs
2/3 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large over-ripe bananas, mashed
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
First make the topping in a medium-sized bowl. Blend together flour and butter with your fingertips. Stir in nuts, honey and salt, then work mixture together with your hands to make crumbs (mixture will be moist). Set aside.
In a large bowl, prepare banana loaf: Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and nutmeg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. In a medium-size bowl, whisk eggs, honey, oil, mashed banana and vanilla. Pour into well in flour with walnuts on top. Stir until mixture is just combined.
Coat a 9 x 5 x 3 loaf pan (make sure you are using the right size) with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper (if you do not line the pan with parchment you will lose a fair amount of your crumb topping when you have to dump the loaf out as opposed to being able to just lift it out with the parchment). Coat the parchment with nonstick spray as well.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the topping. Place in a 350o F oven for 55 minutes (for the first 40 minutes of baking, cover the loaf with a sheet of foil as honey browns very quickly). If you lined the pan with parchment you can remove the loaf from the pan and place on a cooling rack as soon as you have removed it from the oven. Otherwise, cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing.
Marianne says
Your awesome photos have inspired me to put bananas on my shopping list today!
Sandra Jane says
I’ve never met a banana bread that I didn’t like, but the crunchy topping takes it to a new level!
erica says
This recipe looks amazing along with your photo’s. Love the crunchy top.
Lena in VT says
Absolutely beautiful! I love that crunchy topping and thanx for all those other banana recipes!
Megan says
This bread looks awesome enough on it’s own but turned into French Toast? You have one lucky daddy at your house!
Kathy M says
Your recipe looks intriguing. I’ve been looking for a banana bread that is outside my traditional box. Thanks!
Nay says
I’m adding this to my list of “to try” recipes. Do you think it’ll still taste good without the topping? I want to cut down the sugar.
Angela says
This is great. Looks like a coffee cake.
Noble Pig says
Yes it will still taste good, just not AS GOOD, LOL.
dawn says
Oh my heavens, must have that crunchy topping.
Katrina says
This sounds (and looks) fantastic! I WILL make this–after we move this week and get settled and I have some bananas. đŸ˜‰
Valerie says
Oh my. That looks so wonderfully good! I will put this on my list to make soon.
DessertForTwo says
Hi there, I love your site! I found you through Stumble. I read your ‘About’ section…might the peculiar town you’re referring to be Davis? I went there for Grad school, and yes, it is a very very strange town. Did I say very strange? I meant very very very strange. Anyway, keep up the great recipes! I can’t wait to dig in! đŸ™‚
bellini valli says
I had a big smile on my face when I read your sons note and an even bigger smile with a reminder to make banana bread.
Jennifer says
I can only imagine what this tasted like as french toast. Yum…
Rachel the SdOC says
Oh how I love banana bread and it’s endless variations. The honey nut combo is a winner.
I’m drooling over the idea of making it into french toast. Sinful! It would be great in bread pudding too.
Amy says
OOHH!! I like the idea of the crunchy topping on top! I will definitely try that!
Sarah at Candiquik says
WOW – this looks amazing, and when you said you made it into “french toast”, seriously….why couldn’t I be at your house yesterday!? Will reenact the making of this recipe…very soon. Thanks for sharing!
grace says
you stinker! i was just looking for a banana bread recipe using honey and i ended up using one from recipezaar. i missed this phenomenal loaf by mere hours!
lisaiscooking says
French toast from banana bread sounds great. Next time I make banana bread, I’ll set some aside just for that purpose!
Victoria says
excellent visual treat which bespeaks the taste bud experience and makes me wonder how does your recipe book look like (inside or outside)? I have pictures of mine :-p
Cyndy says
I can’t wait until my bananas ripen. I like the topping. Never thought to use banana bread to make french toast. Great idea.
Audrey at Barking Mad says
It’s a really good thing my hubby hates bananas! More of this for Gaby and I!!!!
marinazar says
Hi there! I am making this now – its in the oven. I had a couple of quick comments. First, there wasn’t a measurement for the vanilla in the ‘loaf’ ingredients but you mentioned it in the directions, so i went with the norm. Now, the crumble. I ended up with a dough ball! Not very crumbly at all. I am sure I followed everything but maybe you have a tip? I can’t wait for this to finish! The house smells amazing and my husband LOVES banana bread. Thank you!
Noble Pig says
Yep it was 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Interesting about the crumble, it should be very moist, did you use your fingers to kind crumble the butter together. By chance did you melt the butter, it should have just been room temp.
marinazar says
Oh I do see the vanilla is in the right place! Not sure how I missed it.
I did nuke the butter from the fridge for 10 seconds and and used my fingers. I thought maybe I used too much flour. It looks great out of the oven! Waiting for the Mr. to get home to devour. Thank you for the quick reply.
Kelli Sullivan says
Imagine this made into French Toast!