Description
Indulgent cinnamon swirl banana bread blends classic comfort with sweet, spicy charm. Moist crumb and warm cinnamon ribbons invite you to savor each rich, homemade slice.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Bread Base:
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, browned
Leavening and Seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Swirl Mixture:
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Instructions
- Prepare the oven to 350°F and thoroughly coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with grease to prevent sticking.
- Create brown butter by melting unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat, watching carefully until it turns golden and develops a nutty aroma (approximately 3-5 minutes), then remove from heat.
- Combine mashed bananas with cooled brown butter in a large mixing bowl, blending until smooth and uniform.
- Incorporate granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract into the banana mixture, stirring until well integrated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon to create the dry ingredient blend.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring just until combined without overmixing.
- Prepare the cinnamon swirl by mixing granulated sugar, ground cinnamon, and softened butter until creamy and consistent.
- Layer the batter in the prepared pan: pour half the banana bread mixture, sprinkle half the cinnamon mixture, add remaining batter, and create swirls with a knife.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes, using aluminum foil to cover if the top browns too quickly. Test doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center.
- Allow bread to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Brown the butter slowly and carefully to develop a rich, nutty flavor without burning, which can make the bread taste bitter.
- Use overripe, almost black bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture in your banana bread.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend and add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum to improve texture.
- Control the swirl pattern by using a knife or skewer to create gentle, marbled-like movements through the batter, ensuring an even distribution of cinnamon mixture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60-70 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg