Description
This Cinnamon Swirled Banana Bread is a moist and flavorful treat featuring ripe bananas and a delicious cinnamon sugar swirl throughout. Baked to golden perfection with a tender crumb and topped with thin banana slices, this loaf offers a perfect balance of sweetness and spice, ideal for breakfast or snack time.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Batter:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 4 bananas)
Cinnamon Sugar Swirl:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 6 thin slices of ripe banana, for garnishing
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, then set it aside to get ready for the batter.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, melt the butter and let it cool slightly. Whisk in the sugar, followed by the eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the all-purpose flour and baking soda to the wet mixture until just combined.
- Fold in Bananas: Fold in the mashed ripe bananas gently until incorporated, ensuring not to overmix the batter.
- Prepare Cinnamon Sugar Swirl: In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, granulated sugar, dark brown sugar, and ground cinnamon with a fork until thick and well combined. If the mixture is too thick to swirl, add up to 1 tablespoon more melted butter until it reaches a swirlable consistency.
- Layer Batter and Swirl: Spread about one quarter of the batter (approximately 1 cup) evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Dollop one quarter of the cinnamon sugar mixture (around 1 tablespoon) over the batter and swirl through using a table knife or the back of a wooden spoon.
- Repeat Layers: Add one third of the remaining batter (about 1 cup) on top of the first layer, then swirl one third of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over it. Next, spread half of the remaining batter (around 1 cup) evenly and swirl half of the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture across it.
- Final Layer and Garnish: Spread the remaining batter evenly over the top and dollop with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture. Create large swirls throughout the entire loaf. Arrange the six thin banana slices down the center of the batter as a decorative topping.
- Bake the Bread: Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 70 minutes or until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent the loaf with foil, and continue baking until fully cooked through.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing it to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the bread set and makes slicing easier.
Notes
- Make sure bananas are very ripe for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- If the cinnamon sugar swirl is too thin, it will spread and not create defined swirls.
- Using melted butter in both the batter and swirl adds richness and moisture to the bread.
- You can add chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans to the batter for added texture.
- Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of loaf)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
