The secret is OUT!
Matt’s Famous Banana Bread
I know, I know – We've all had banana bread before. But, for every recipe I tried, whether homemade or store-bought, something was always missing. After a few triumphant loaf fails (and some sweet victories – shoutout to my pumpkin bread), I finally figured out what my ideal banana bread needed: More bananas, more height, and a crunch!
As you may have noticed, this recipe results in a tall, plush loaf capped with my signature crisp, caramelized sugar top that ends up dangerously tempting to peel off and eat on its own. I have kept this recipe to myself for over two years, and its finally time to share!
I truly never expected to go on a Banana Bread journey, but here we are. And now, I have two signature recipes I am proud of: this banana bread, and my famous holiday pumpkin bread. Shhhh!
Ingredients:
Total Time: 3hr, 15 mins (Prep Time: 20 mins, Cook Time: 60-65 mins) | Difficulty: Easy
½ cup (4 oz) unsalted butter, cut into chunks (plus extra for greasing pan)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 heaped cups mashed banana (from 4 extra-large or 5 medium-large bananas)
Whatever banana you have, make sure it’s slightly more than two cups.
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp table salt
1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon
Two pinches ground or fresh nutmeg (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp raw or turbinado sugar, for crunchy topping
Directions
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Directions ~
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 6-cup (9×5-inch or 8x4 inch) loaf pan and coat with nonstick spray or butter. You may be nervous pouring the completed batter in - It won’t spill over, and I can promise that in several tests, mine never has.
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In a large bowl, melt the butter. Then, whisk in the brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the mashed bananas, followed by whisking in the eggs and vanilla.
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Sprinkle the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg (if using), baking soda, and baking powder evenly over the batter. Whisk to fully combine — then whisk a few more times along the sides for good measure to make sure it’s smooth and consistent.
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Add the flour and stir and scrape the sides until just combined. Then, pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan — it should rise to just over ½ inch from the top rim. Don’t be alarmed!
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Sprinkle the raw or turbinado sugar generously over the top. It may seem like a lot — trust it.
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Bake for 60 to 65 minutes. A toothpick or skewer inserted near the top rim (where sneaky unbaked batter can hide) should come out clean. The top will look dark — that’s flavor, not failure.
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Let the loaf cool in the pan. It’s amazing on day one, but even better on day two and beyond. Leave it uncovered in the pan; once sliced, press foil against the cut edge but keep that crunchy top exposed. Lasts about 5 days at room temp, but don’t count on leftovers.
