This banana bread is sweet, moist, and of course very cake-like. It makes use of left-over bananas, and satisfies everyone's sweet tooth. Made with almonds alone, it is amazing, but add some chocolate chips and you have yourself one irresistible breakfast.
This amazing Chopped Almond Banana Bread is a go-to sweet in our home. This is mainly because I am always way too optimistic about our fresh banana consumption. I always buy three pounds of bananas at a time, and there are always left-over bananas. I end up literally trying to push bananas at every snack and send them with my husband every morning.
I don't care if they get eaten! Just don't bring them back! Conversely, if I don't buy the big bunch then somehow end up short on bananas.
Hard to believe that there could be such a thing as a banana emergency, but it has happened, and there was wailing and tears. Watching me cry over bananas left my children feeling very confused. So when I have too many bananas, and they are too brown to pawn off on my unsuspecting victims, I make banana bread.
Ingredients
Ripe Bananas - Ideally bananas should be a little over ripe, soft, with some brown spots.
Almonds- I think that almonds are a great addition to banana nut bread and add nice texture and rich flavor. Other nuts, like pecans or walnuts, are nice additions as well.
Chocolate Chips- My kids go crazy when I add chocolate to the batter. Gooey bits of semi-sweet or milk chocolate make this recipe over the top good.
Instructions
Step 1: Mix wet ingredients.
- Place wet ingredients, milk, eggs, melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and ripe bananas into a bowl.
- Mix together until everything is well incorporated and you have very few chunks of bananas.
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients.
- Sift together all purpose flour and baking powder.
Step 3: Bring together the wet and dry ingredients.
- Slowly add the sifted flour and baking powder to the mixed wet ingredients using a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk.
Step 4: Add the nuts and chocolate chips.
- Fold in chopped almonds, and your chocolate chips if you choose to add them.
Step 5: Bake!
- Divide the batter between two lined, greased loaf pans.
- Then, bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes.
FAQs
There are many good techniques for greasing a baking pan. I really like to use parchment paper and butter or cooking spray.
Start by cutting parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pans. Spray the entire inside of the pans with cooking spray or wipe with butter, then lay the parchment down on the bottom. This will make sure you can turn the loaves out without leaving any stuck to the pan.
Timing a quick bread with added fruit can be a bit of a challenge. When you add fruit to a batter the moisture can be really variable and that moisture needs to cook out for the batter to set.
Make sure the oven has reached 350° before putting the loaves inside, and place them on the middle rack without another rack above them.
Around the 30 minutes mark, I begin looking in on the loaves. Because the fresh fruit makes the timing variable, I am really attentive the last 5-10 minutes of baking. If the loaves are starting to brown or crack, then I use the good old toothpick method to see if the center is cooked. Poke a toothpick directly in the center of the banana bread. If it is clean, then it is cooked.
When a quick bread or cake sinks in the middle it is a tell-tale sign that it is undercooked. The cooked outer parts of the cake collapse into the raw center as it cools.
When you cut into an undercooked cake, you will see a center that is dense and darker than the fully baked areas.
Banana bread is considered a quick bread which means it rises quickly with baking powder or baking soda quickly, unlike a yeast bread which requires time to rise before baking. My daughter insists on calling this banana cake, and she is correct. Cakes and quick bread are one in the same. This chopped almond banana bread is indeed sweet, moist, and cake-like.
Banana bread can be left out on the counter for 5-7 days. Place it on a plate and cover it with foil to keep it from drying out.
It can be frozen for up to three months. Let it cool completely, then wrap it in foil and place in your freezer with a dated label.
Tips for Success
- Check the expiration date on your baking powder. Old baking powder will cause your cake not to rise.
- Preheat your oven so that it is hot and ready to go when the batter is mixed.
- Sifting the dry ingredients together helps disperse the baking powder evenly and prevents clumping.
- Take time to scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure all of the flour is mixed into the batter.
- You can do just nuts or you can add chocolate chips to the recipe to make it extra special. I did half with chocolate chips and half without for this recipe so that I ended up with one of each loaves.
- Make sure the oven has reached 350° before putting the loaves inside, and place them on the middle rack without another rack above them.
- Let the cakes cool before turning them out and cutting into them.
- Use a serrated knife to cut nice clean slices.
- Serve as is or warm under the broiler and spread some butter on each slice.
Related Recipes
- Zucchotto Fiorentino: Chocolate Almond Cream Cake
- Homemade German Chocolate Cake
- Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
- Simple Cinnamon Baked Pears
- Blueberry Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
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📖 Recipe
Banana Bread with Almonds and Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- 2 Loaf Pans (8.5"x4.5"x2.5")
Ingredients
- 2 Medium Bananas overripe
- 2 Tablespoon Milk
- 3 Eggs
- ½ Cup Butter melted
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 Cup All Purpose Flour sifted
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Cup Chopped Almonds
- 1 Cup Chocolate Chips semi-sweet or milk, optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350°. Line and grease 2 loaf pans.
- Melt the butter. Then mix with ripe bananas, sugar, milk, eggs, and vanilla. Beat well, making sure to whip these ingredients together.
- Sift flour and baking powder together, and then slowly add to wet ingredients. Be sure to mix until the dry ingredients are well incorporated.
- Add the chop nuts and chocolate chips and slowly mix until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
- Divide batter between the two loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until the tops are golden and the centers are cooked. you can check the centers by inserting a toothpick. If the bread is done the tooth pick will come away clean.
Notes
- Check the expiration date on your baking powder. Old baking powder will cause your cake not to rise.
- Preheat your oven so that it is hot and ready to go when the batter is mixed.
- Sifting the dry ingredients together helps disperse the baking powder evenly and prevents clumping.
- Take time to scrape down the sides of the bowl and make sure all of the flour is mixed into the batter.
- You can do just nuts or you can add chocolate chips to the recipe to make it extra special. I did half with chocolate chips and half without for this recipe so that I ended up with one of each loaves.
- Make sure the oven has reached 350° before putting the loaves inside, and place them on the middle rack without another rack above them.
- Let the cakes cool before turning them out and cutting into them.
- Use a serrated knife to cut nice clean slices.
- Serve as is or warm under the broiler and spread some butter on each slice.
Nutrition
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cakespy says
This looks incredible. It's funny, I feel like banana and almond aren't combined all that often. But why not? I mean, walnuts shouldn't have the monopoly. This bread looks simple yet so sweet and comforting.
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
Thank you! My dad is allergic to walnuts. He didn't even eat this, but alternatives are always in my mind.
James Strange says
The recipe looks great, its a great way to use up all those ripe bananas.
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
Thanks James! I checked out your site. It's great. I have to cater a vegan wedding next year. I might need to hit you up for some inspiration.
Whitney says
I just made th8s recipe I was looking for a recipe with no baking soda since u forgot to pick some up and Thanksgiving is tomorrow and don't have time to go back to the store. It r3ady to go in the oven. I tasted the batter taste pretty good and now don't have to be without banana bread tomorrow.
Thanks I'll be keeping this recipe close by.
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
I️ hope you enjoyed it!
Shayna says
Eggs are mentioned in the ingredients, but not the recipe. I am currently baking this, smells wonderful. Thank you!
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
3 eggs
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
Thank you for letting me know so I can correct it. Hope it turned out great.
Rachael says
Thank you for this recipe, although it didn't turn out for me. The outside of the loaf was very "blonde" looking, so I thought it wasn't cooked inside, but it was. Plus, it was very dense. I checked on the Pilsbury website and one of the tips said not to stir the ingredients too much or the bread will be too dense (which it was). I think I stirred it too much, because I realized (before I put it in the oven), that "adding eggs" were not in the instructions. I had to stir in the eggs at the last minute. I hope this recipe works for other people. It sounds good.
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
I'm so sorry this didn't turn out for you. Thank you for bringing this mistake to my attention. It is now fixed. Not adding the eggs at the beginning of the recipe definitely changes the quality and texture of the loaf. In the future, the eggs should be added with the other wet ingredients and mixed vigorously in order to get air into the batter. When you add the dry ingredients you want to mix until the dry ingredients are just incorporated. Continuing to mix the flour will overdevelop the gluten and give you a chewy loaf. I don't know why your loaves are more blond, different ovens or pans sometimes changes the overall color. I hope you try it again. It really is a great recipe.
Ann Laurini says
I am going to bake this today, but I dont see where it is mentioned what size loaf pans....are they small or larger?
deliciousbydesignblog@gmail.com says
All of my pans are close to the same size. 8x4x2 1/2”
Ann Laurini says
Thank you!
Nancy says
Can you make muffins out of this recipe? Thanks.
Diana Reis says
Yes, but I do not have an exact time for baking as muffins. Start at 1/3 baking time and keep a close eye on them.
Diana Reis says
I just whipped up a batch and 20 minutes was right on the money. My children thank you!!
Angelica says
My family loves this banana bread every time I make ! 😍
Lisa says
It came out great to me. Exactly what I need last weekend and I did finally! Thank you much for this post!
Dandre says
I absolutely love, love, love your blog. It is so perfect and this recipe looks fantastic. I can’t wait to try it. 🙂
Diana Reis says
Thank you so much! You made my night. I love hearing from readers. I hope you love the recipe.
Sandra says
I think I over mixed the ingredients because it was a little dry. I did have to cook it longer because the toothpick came out wet. It was blond on top but brown on sides and bottom. I ended up cooing at 350 for 50 minutes.
Diana Reis says
I'm sorry this didn't come out perfectly. I actually just updated this post with some trouble shooting tips for baking this bread. Maybe we can get to the bottom of this together. It is hard to judge doneness on quick bread because they can vary depending on how much moisture is in the fruit. Sometimes there is a little moisture in the center of the cake that makes the toothpick shiny, but the batter is actually set. You can use your finger tips to gently press down on the center of the cake. It should be firm to the touch. When it is a little borderline, sometimes it is best to pull the cakes out and let them sit in the hot pans to finish cooking outside of the oven.
Rack placement is also important for browning. You want the loaves on the middle rack without another rack above them.
I hope this helps.
Karin says
Can I make cupcakes with this recipe? If so, how long should they bake?
Diana Reis says
I have done cupcakes with this recipe. Timing varies a bit, but I start around 15 minutes and add time from there.