The Ultimate Moist Banana Bread with Crunchy Cashews: Your New Favorite Recipe
This recipe for a delicious banana bread with cashew nuts is filled with bananas, which should come as no surprise, and cashews for a crunch.
There’s a special joy that comes with baking, and few treats offer the comforting aroma and delightful taste quite like a freshly baked banana bread. While it seems there’s a designated day for almost every food imaginable these days, we don’t need a special calendar reminder to celebrate this classic. Today, we’re diving into a recipe that elevates the humble banana bread to a new level of deliciousness: our moist banana bread with a generous helping of crunchy cashews.
This isn’t just any banana bread. It’s a symphony of textures and flavors, where the natural sweetness of ripe bananas meets the buttery crunch of cashews, all subtly enhanced by golden honey. It’s the perfect way to transform those forgotten, overripe bananas on your counter into a culinary masterpiece that will impress family and friends alike. Get ready to fill your kitchen with an aroma that’s as inviting as the first bite!
Why Overripe Bananas Are a Must for the Best Banana Bread
The secret to an incredibly moist and flavorful banana bread lies in the ripeness of your bananas. Don’t throw away those brown-speckled, almost-black bananas! In fact, the darker and spottier they are, the better. As bananas ripen, their starches convert into sugars, leading to a more intense sweetness and a softer, more mashable texture. This natural sweetness reduces the need for excessive added sugar, and the moisture content ensures your bread is tender and never dry.
Using perfectly ripe bananas is non-negotiable for this recipe. They break down easily, integrate seamlessly into the batter, and impart that characteristic banana flavor that makes this bread so beloved. So, next time you see bananas turning dark, rejoice! You’re just a step closer to baking perfection.
The Irresistible Cashew Crunch and Flavor
While many banana bread recipes call for walnuts or pecans, this particular version shines with the addition of cashews. Cashew nuts bring a unique creamy, buttery flavor profile that complements the sweetness of bananas beautifully. Their slightly softer crunch compared to other nuts provides a delightful textural contrast without being too assertive, making every bite interesting and satisfying.
Toasting the cashews lightly before adding them to the batter is a game-changer. This simple step awakens their natural oils, intensifying their nutty aroma and deepening their flavor. The toasted cashews scattered throughout the bread don’t just add crunch; they contribute a rich, warm note that truly sets this banana bread apart. Plus, cashews are packed with healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, adding a touch of nutritional goodness to your indulgence.
Honey: The Secret to Depth of Flavor
Our recipe also incorporates honey, and for good reason. Honey isn’t just another sweetener; it’s a natural flavor enhancer that harmonizes perfectly with both bananas and cashews. Its floral notes and unique viscosity contribute to an even moister crumb and a more complex sweetness than sugar alone. It adds a subtle depth that makes the banana bread taste richer and more nuanced.
The honey reacts beautifully during baking, contributing to a lovely golden-brown crust and a delightful aroma. It helps to keep the bread fresh and moist for longer, making it an excellent choice for a treat that you’ll want to savor over a few days. The combination of bananas, cashews, and honey creates a truly addictive flavor profile that you’ll want to recreate again and again.
Recipe: Banana Bread with Cashew Nuts
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RECIPE CARD
Andréa
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Ingredients
- 60 grams cashew nuts
- 125 grams butter, unsalted, room temperature
- 150 grams sugar
- 2 eggs, size L
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 bananas , overripe
- 250 grams flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch salt
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Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
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Brush a cake tin with butter and dust with flour. Beat the excess flour from the tin.
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Roast the cashews in a dry frying pan until light brown and smell nutty. Get them out of the frying pan and chop them coarsely.
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Beat the butter with the sugar for 3 minutes to a creamy mixture.
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Add the eggs one by one, while continuing to mix.
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Also pour the honey into the bowl and add the bananas and mix well until mixed.
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Sift the flour, baking powder and salt over the batter and beat it through.
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Finally, mix the cashew nuts into the batter with a spatula.
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Pour it into the cake tin and bake it in the oven for 60 minutes until the cake comes out done (check this by inserting a wooden skewer in the middle of the cake. If it comes out dry, the cake is finished).
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Let stand for 5 minutes, then remove the cake from the baking tin and let it cool, on a wire rack, to room temperature.
Nutrition
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Tips for Baking the Perfect Banana Bread
- Don’t Overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough, dense bread. A few lumps are perfectly fine!
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This helps them cream together smoothly with the sugar, creating a light, airy base for your batter.
- Mash Bananas Thoroughly: For a consistently moist texture, mash your overripe bananas well. A fork works perfectly for this.
- Toasting Cashews: Don’t skip the step of lightly toasting the cashews. It truly enhances their flavor and aroma, adding another layer of deliciousness to the bread.
- Grease and Flour Your Pan: Even if your pan is non-stick, properly greasing and flouring it ensures your banana bread slides out easily without sticking.
- Testing for Doneness: The wooden skewer test is your best friend. Insert it into the center of the loaf; if it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, your bread is ready. If it’s wet with batter, bake for a few more minutes.
- Cooling is Key: Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. This helps it firm up and prevents it from breaking. Cooling completely on a wire rack ensures no condensation forms, keeping the crust crisp and the bread from becoming soggy.
Delicious Variations & Serving Ideas
This cashew banana bread is fantastic on its own, but it also serves as an excellent base for various additions and serving styles:
Variations:
- Chocolate Chip Cashew Banana Bread: Fold in 1/2 to 1 cup of chocolate chips (dark, milk, or white) with the cashews for an extra layer of sweetness.
- Spice It Up: Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, or even a dash of allspice for a warmer, spicier flavor profile.
- Other Nuts: If you’re out of cashews, walnuts or pecans are also wonderful in banana bread. Toast them as well for best results.
- Dried Fruits: Raisins, dried cranberries, or chopped dates can add extra chewiness and sweetness.
- Coconut Delight: Stir in a handful of shredded coconut for a tropical twist.
Serving Ideas:
- Breakfast Treat: Enjoy a slice with your morning coffee or tea.
- Afternoon Snack: A perfect pick-me-up.
- Dessert: Serve slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
- With Cream Cheese Frosting: For an extra special dessert, spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting on top once the bread has completely cooled.
Storing Your Homemade Banana Bread
To ensure your delicious banana bread stays fresh and moist for as long as possible, proper storage is essential:
- Room Temperature: For up to 2-3 days, store the banana bread tightly wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature. This helps to retain its moisture.
- Refrigerator: If you want to extend its freshness, or if your home is particularly warm, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a week, wrapped tightly. Bring it to room temperature or gently warm it before serving for the best texture.
- Freezing: Banana bread freezes exceptionally well!
- Allow the bread to cool completely.
- Wrap the entire loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil.
- Place in a freezer-safe bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, simply unwrap and let it sit at room temperature for a few hours, or warm individual slices in the microwave or oven.
Frequently Asked Questions About Banana Bread
- Can I use under-ripe bananas?
- While technically possible, it’s not recommended. Under-ripe bananas are less sweet and don’t provide the same moisture content, resulting in a less flavorful and drier bread. Always opt for very ripe, speckled bananas.
- How do I quickly ripen bananas?
- If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough but you’re craving banana bread, you can bake them in their peels on a baking sheet at 300°F (150°C) for 15-30 minutes, or until the peels turn black. Let them cool, then scoop out the softened pulp.
- Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
- Yes, you can often substitute all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The results may vary slightly in texture, but it should still be delicious.
- Is this banana bread suitable for vegans?
- As written, no, as it contains butter and eggs. However, you can make substitutions: use a plant-based butter alternative, and for eggs, you could try flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, let sit for 5 minutes) or mashed applesauce.
- Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
- This can happen for a few reasons: oven temperature too low, oven door opened too early, overmixing the batter, or too much leavening agent. Ensure your oven is accurately calibrated and avoid opening the oven door before the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
Conclusion: A True Baking Delight
This banana bread with cashews and honey is more than just a recipe; it’s an experience. From the joy of transforming humble, overripe bananas into a golden loaf to the first bite of moist, flavorful bread with that satisfying cashew crunch, every step is rewarding. It’s a comforting classic made even better, perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply indulging yourself.
We encourage you to try this recipe and discover your new favorite way to enjoy banana bread. Its simplicity, combined with its rich flavors and appealing textures, makes it a timeless treat that you’ll undoubtedly add to your regular baking rotation. Happy baking!