Moist Homestyle Walnut Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 4 medium overripe bananas, heavily speckled (approx. 1.5 to 1.75 cups mashed)
• 1/2 cup (1 stick / 4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons sour cream or whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1.5 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped (divided)
• 1 tablespoon turbinado or brown sugar, for sprinkling on top

• 4 overripe bananas, mashed (approx. 400g)
• 115g unsalted butter, melted
• 150g soft light brown sugar
• 50g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 30g sour cream or Greek yogurt
• 7ml pure vanilla extract
• 250g plain flour
• 5g bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
• 2g ground cinnamon
• 3g kosher salt
• 85g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped (divided)
• 15g demerara sugar, for topping

Instructions

1. Prep Oven and Loaf Pan

   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C / 155°C fan). Grease an 8.5x4.5-inch or 9x5-inch metal loaf pan with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides.

   Visual Cue Parchment sling fitted neatly into loaf pan.

2. Mash Bananas and Add Wet Ingredients

   In a large bowl, mash peeled bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with small pea-sized fruit chunks remaining. Whisk in melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, beaten eggs, sour cream, and vanilla until smooth.

   Texture Cue Smooth, glossy, golden-brown banana batter.

3. Fold Dry Ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Gently fold with a rubber spatula just until flour streaks disappear (do not overmix). Gently fold in 1/2 cup of the chopped walnuts.

   Texture Cue Thick, batter that drops slowly from a spatula.

4. Transfer to Pan and Top

   Scrape batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth top. Scatter remaining 1/4 cup chopped walnuts and 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar evenly down the center.

   Visual Cue Batter fills pan about two-thirds full with nut and sugar topping.

5. Bake to Deep Mahogany

   Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 65 minutes. A toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs (no wet batter). If the top browns too quickly at the 40-minute mark, tent loosely with aluminum foil.

   Visual Cue Deep golden-brown loaf with a dramatic cracked center crest.

6. Cool and Slice

   Cool loaf in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Use parchment overhang to lift loaf onto wire rack to cool completely for at least 1 hour before slicing into thick slices.

   Texture Cue Tender, moist crumb that holds together cleanly when sliced.