Banana Nut Bread Cinnamon Swirl (Printable Version)
Moist banana bread with crunchy walnuts and sweet cinnamon swirl, ideal for breakfast or snacking.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Add-Ins
09 - 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
→ Cinnamon Swirl
10 - 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
11 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in mashed bananas and vanilla extract until well combined.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and gently mix until just combined—do not overmix.
06 - Fold in the chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
07 - In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl mixture.
08 - Pour half the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Add the remaining batter on top, then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon-sugar.
09 - Gently swirl a knife through the batter to create a marbled effect.
10 - Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
11 - Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cinnamon swirl creates those beautiful ribboned pockets that make every slice feel like a special occasion
- This recipe turns kitchen mishaps (forgotten bananas) into the most requested breakfast in my house
02 -
- I once rushed the cooling process and ended up with a delicious but fallen-apart mess—patience really does pay off here
- The toothpick test can be tricky with the cinnamon swirl, so look for clean batter on the tester, not the melted sugar
03 -
- Lightly toasting the walnuts before adding them deepens their flavor and adds a lovely crunch
- Room temperature ingredients incorporate better, so take everything out of the fridge about an hour before baking