Bourbon Vanilla Banana Bread
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Meet your new favorite breakfast: bourbon vanilla banana bread! Brown sugar, bourbon, and vanilla flavor this loaf and take the classic banana bread to new heights. To jazz up the top of the loaf, a sprinkling of sugary crisp candied walnuts add an addictive crunch to each tender slice.
My favorite way to eat banana bread is with a generous slather of butter or mascarpone. And unlike most things in life, banana bread actually gets better with age, so you may find yourself in the kitchen at midnight, carving off a sliver before bed when you simply need a sweet bite.
Bourbon Vanilla Banana Bread
- Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
Ingredients
Candied Walnuts
- 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 1/2 Tbsp hot water
- 1 1/4 cups walnuts
- 2 Tbsp turbinado sugar
Banana Bread
- 1 3/4 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 3 Tbsp bourbon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. For the candied walnuts, whisk together sugar and hot water in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add walnuts and turbinado sugar; toss to coat. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on prepared baking sheet and bake until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. For the banana bread, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine banana, sugars, coconut oil, buttermilk, egg, bourbon, and vanilla in a medium bowl; add to flour mixture and fold in just until combined.
- Coarsely chop 1/2 cup candied walnuts and fold into batter. Spoon batter into prepared pan and smooth top with an offset spatula. Halve remaining candied walnuts and sprinkle over batter.
- Bake for 30 minutes; rotate pan and tent with foil to prevent over browning. Continue baking another 30 minutes. Bread is done when golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes; carefully remove bread from pan and cool completely.
Nutrition
- Calories: 270
- Carbohydrates: 35
Keywords: Bourbon, Vanilla, Banana, Banana Bread, Quick Bread
Craving more banana bread?
Coconut Macadamia Banana Bread
Toffee Banana Bread
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This is my new FAVOURITE banana bread recipe, and I’ve tried.a.lot!! The crunch of the nuts (I used pecans) and the sweetness of the bananas, followed by the smokiness of the bourbon just set this beauty apart from all others. I even subbed out Buttermilk with Oat Milk and it’s still just divine. Thanks so much for this recipe! Please please, try this at home. 🙂
★★★★★
Thank you so much, Josie! So glad this recipe was such a hit! 🙂
Hi Laura
I just recently found your site and have just finished baking your banana bread
With mouth watering results
I am looking forward to trying out a few more of your recipes hopefully with the same awesome results????
Thanks Tanja! So glad you liked the banana bread and that you found my blog :).
Could I substitute olive oil for the coconut oil? Or do you have a better suggestion? My bf has a coconut allergy but I want to make this for him.
Hi Karrisa, you could substitute vegetable oil or a neutral flavored olive oil. You could also use melted butter, but the bread won’t be quite as tender. I’d recommend using a different oil as the best substitute. Hope that helps!
Candied nuts are so delicious! I want a few slices with my hot lemon tea for breakfast. Yum!
How gorgeous! I love banana bread, but bananas no longer agree with my tummy : (
You’re right to be picky for your bananas. It’s important to choose the perfect one for such a gorgeous cake! I love it 🙂
If your banana bread is only half as good as it looks, I know it is delicious.
Hehe I was all about banana bread too this month! But I’m the opposite, I love really ripe bananas! 😀
I love that candied walnut topping – I bet it really does add that something extra 🙂 Very nice!