Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

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by Sandyon Nov 16, 2019 (updated Jan 24, 2023)

Find out what makes thisSecret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe so delicious, moist, and the perfect gift to give away to your neighbors!

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (1)

Friends, today I’m sharing a Secret Banana Bread with Walnuts recipe. It’s so good, you’ll want to double the recipe, and share it with your neighbors, or possibly someone new to town. If you love the combo of bananas and walnuts, you must also try our Banana Walnut Cake (my mom’s recipe).

I’ve been thinking a lot about hospitality, and meeting new people in our neighborhoods and towns.When I think about hospitality, I think of banana bread. Isn’t it he best gift to bring to a new neighbor in town? I mean, when it’s warm, and gooey and soft, and sliced thickly with a slab of salted butter. It truly is the best.

Table of Contents

Walnut Banana Bread (Secret)

My new recipe has a secret that a reader shared with me. I was doubtful, thinking that it didn’t really make a difference. If you love blueberries, you can combine and make Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Bread.

Why we love this recipe

  • It’s delicious and easy.
  • Your neighbors will love a loaf :)
  • We love to double the recipe and freeze the loaves for a rainy day!

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (2)

Gather these simple ingredients:

  • Butter: make sure it’s softened
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • Flour
  • Baking soda
  • Sour cream
  • Salt
  • Mashed bananas: make sure they are ripened (not under-ripe)
  • Extracts: both vanilla and almond
  • Nuts: walnuts!

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (3)

How do you make banana bread?

  1. Grease and flour one 9-inch loaf pan (or 3 small ones). Pan should be 3/4 full of batter.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well.
  3. Whisk together the flour and salt; combine with the butter mixture.
  4. In a separate bowl, add baking soda to the sour cream; stir well. Add in the bananas, vanilla and almond extracts, and walnuts; stir well.
  5. Add this mixture to the main mixture; mix well.
  6. Pour into prepared pans and bake!
  7. Cool and then turn the loaf out onto a rack.

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (4)

Banana bread and hospitality

Sometimes we have to go out of our way to practice hospitality, and sometimes it’s right under our noses!

It often flows, especially for someone like me who loves to entertain. But I also have to challenge myself to think of others and see how I can step in and fill a need, or make others feel welcome, or invite them into our home.

You knock on the door.

Welcome to the neighborhood!

You hand them a gift.

Through this reaching out, we gain affection toward one another.

I really do think banana bread and hospitality go hand in hand!

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (5)

Moistest Banana Bread – secret!

Guess what? There is one step that makes the MOISTEST banana bread!

Now you want to know the secret? Add in baking soda to the sour cream and stir. This combination mixed into the banana bread mixture is the secret to a moist, fluffy, amazing bread!

Almond extract? Another great secret!

ENJOY!

More delicious quick breads:

Pumpkin Date Bread

Healthy Banana Bread with Dates

Pumpkin Raspberry Bread

Raspberry Almond Scones [Two Peas and Their Pod]

Super Moist Greek Yogurt Banana Bread

Get the Recipe:

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe

I always DOUBLE the recipe!

Find out what makes thisBanana Bread with Walnuts (and a secret) so delicious, moist, and the perfect gift/recipe to give to your neighbors!

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 50 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr

Yield: 8

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Ingredients

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 – 1/2 cup mashed bananas, about 3
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • ½ tsp. almond extract
  • 1 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour one 9-inch loaf pan (or 3 small ones). Pan should be 3/4 full of batter.

  • In a large bowl, cream the butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mix well.

  • Whisk together the flour and salt; combine with the butter mixture.

  • In a separate bowl, add 1 tsp. baking soda to the sour cream; stir well. Add in the bananas, vanilla and almond extracts, and walnuts; stir well.

  • Add this mixture to the main mixture; mix well.

  • Pour into prepared pans and bake for 50 minutes.

  • Cool for 10 minutes and then turn the loaf out onto a rack.

Notes

Originally posted JUNE 2016

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Author: Sandy / Reluctant Entertainer

Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (7)

Related Posts:

  • Sour Cream Banana Cake Recipe
  • Blueberry Moist Banana Bread Recipe
  • Pineapple Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • Salted Caramel Coconut Banana Cake

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (12)

Hello and welcome to my home and table!

I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

Breakfast Desserts Entertaining Hospitality Recipes Snacks Videos

originally published on Nov 16, 2019 (last updated Jan 24, 2023)

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17 comments on “Walnut Banana Bread (Secret)”

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  1. AndreaReply

    Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (13)
    Best banana bread! Has so much flavor. I toast my walnuts first and then add to the recipe. Perfection! Moist, and delicious!

  2. PhynieReply

    Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (14)
    I gave this recipe 5-STARS! However, I have a question: Does the recipe call for 1Cup, or 1.5Cups of Flour? I made it with 1.5Cups which made the batter so thick.

    Thank you for your response.

    • Sandy

      It’s 1 1/2 cups of flours! I’m glad you enjoyed it.

  3. CaylieReply

    Do I have to use almond extract

    • Sandy

      No! Just use vanilla!

  4. CatherineReply

    Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (15)
    Moist! I wondered if I could use almond flour?

    • Sandy

      I’ve never tried it but I bet it would be delish!

  5. Sharon FlintReply

    Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (16)
    Your recipe makes delicious muffins too, thank you for sharing!
    I used paper liners in my muffin pan and filled them 2/3 full and baked for about 30 to 35 minutes until lightly browned on top.
    I used pecans instead of walnuts since the hubby is allergic. I will definitely be making these again!

  6. Jennifer DaniellReply

    Can I substitute Greek Yogurt for the sour cream?

    • Sandy

      YES!

  7. susanne penkReply

    if you banana’s that are still green you can put them in the oven on 200 for ? 20 mins they will be rip enough to use for the bread

    • Sandy

      I’ve never tried that, Susanne!

  8. Candy Jones BirmanReply

    I’ve made this recipe 5 tunes in the last month and a half. It requires 5 bowls for mixing, but it truly is the best banana walnut bread recipe ever

  9. Candice AnnReply

    Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (17)
    Made this for my neighbor! Hes always taking my garbage out and cleaning off my side walk. I hope he likes it! Better yet, I hope hes not allergic to any ingredients! Haha =) I’ll update and maybe he will give me a bite?

  10. Liz grayReply

    I couldn’t see when to add walnuts

    • Sandy

      Add the walnuts to the banana mixture! Thanks Liz, fixed :)

  11. Kirstin TroyerReply

    Yum! I have a recipe that uses sour cream. So good. I have a bunch of overripe bananas sitting in the freezer..maybe it’s time to pull them out and make some bread.

Secret Walnut Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist bread? ›

Fortunately, one of the most glaring baking problems has an easy solution: ensuring your bread stays moist. The key is twofold: use quality ingredients and let the dough stand overnight. If you're using storebought flour, opt for “bread flour,” which will hold better in heat and help create a more tender crumb.

What is the secret to success when making quick breads? ›

Quick breads are typically mixed by hand, and it's important not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can cause the gluten in the flour to develop, resulting in a tough and chewy bread. Mix the batter just until the ingredients are combined, and then stop. If there are a few lumps in the batter, that's okay.

What happens if you put too much baking soda in banana nut bread? ›

Using too much baking soda or baking powder can really mess up a recipe, causing it to rise uncontrollably and taste terrible.

What ingredient makes bread softer? ›

Use around 5% sugar (percentage of flour), use of milk and honey in the recipe keeps the bread soft and moist after baking if kept covered and protected from dry environments. Use of oil in the recipe also keeps the bread softer.

What makes bread super soft and fluffy? ›

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

What is the secret to making homemade bread? ›

12 tips for making perfect bread
  1. Use the right yeast. ...
  2. Store your yeast properly. ...
  3. Treat salt with care. ...
  4. Take your time. ...
  5. Try different flours. ...
  6. Consider vitamin C. ...
  7. Practice makes perfect. ...
  8. Don't prove for too long.

Why is my nut bread dry? ›

Your Bread Has Too Much Flour

Adding too much flour is one common mistake for beginning bakers. This produces dry bread with more crumbs. The key is to find a balance between the flour and liquid ingredients in your recipe.

What makes bread rise higher? ›

Bread rises because yeast eats sugar and burps carbon dioxide, which gets trapped by the bread's gluten. The more sugar your yeast eats, the more gas that gets formed, and the higher the bread rises!

What happens if you add an extra egg to banana bread? ›

Adding more eggs makes for a spongy, less flavorful banana bread. Doubling the number of eggs I was using resulted in a spongy cake with a moist texture. While the banana flavor was present, it wasn't as prominent as it was in other loaves. This had more of a hint of flavor.

Is baking soda or powder better for banana bread? ›

Baking soda works best in conjunction with an acidic ingredient. In the case of banana bread, this may be buttermilk, brown sugar, molasses or the bananas themselves. Recipes generally include just enough baking soda to balance the acidity in the batter.

Why is my banana nut bread gummy? ›

Banana bread is made with a very wet batter. It's important to use a tester to make sure it's fully baked. Cutting it before it is completely cooled can lead to the gummy texture. Cooling the bread to room temperature allow us the starch that gels during baking to set again.

How do bakeries get their bread so soft? ›

Commercial bread is softer due to the steam process used by bakeries, which is made to keep bread hydrated and fresh. Use cold water in a pan and put it on a rack beneath your bread to create steam.

How do you add moisture to bread when baking? ›

A simple and cost-effective method of applying moisture to both the dough and the oven is to use a small handheld water sprayer, available from most supermarkets or online.

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