Brown Butter Banana Bread
Brown Butter Banana Bread. Four deliciously simple words. This classic South African teatime favourite remains one of the most baked loaves. I’m sure everyone has a passed down banana bread recipe, you know the one, scribbled on a faded Croxley sheet of paper, handed down from your Mum or Nan, and now it lives with you. So why another banana bread you ask? I think you’re going to love this browned butter recipe so much, it’s going to join the most favourite list.
With all the artistry of cake, I wondered how I get excited over something as simple as a banana bread. Big mistake. This loaf is about peaking the potential of each ingredient. Browning the butter yields a rich nutty taste that’s very distinctive. I’ve also added cinnamon and a touch of mixed spice, banana bread’s perfect partners. For crunch, the top is showered with granular brown sugar for a caramel-y coat. This simple bake requires no fanciful adornments, just basic pantry ingredients and two lonely bananas. If you’re up early on a Saturday morning, you can have this banana bread done and ready for brunch.
Brown Butter Banana Bread
- 125 g butter
- 110 g soft brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 very ripe bananas, finely mashed
- 150 g all purpose cake flour
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) baking powder
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) bicarbonate of soda
- pinch of salt
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) cinnamon
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) mixed spice
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) brown sugar, for finishing
- Preheat the oven to 180º C. Grease a 20 cm loaf pan and line with baking paper. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and let it bubble away until the butter is brown and nutty. Set aside to cool. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and and eggs until light and creamy. Pour the cooled butter into the egg mixture and beat to combine.
- Fold through the mashed bananas. The mixture will look a little split at this point. Sift in all the dry ingredients and whisk on a slow speed to just combine. Pour into the loaf tin and smooth over. Sprinkle with the extra brown sugar and bake for 45 minutes. Rest in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out. Cool completely on a wire rack. Always cut with a serrated knife and sneak in a quick slice to bag the crusty ends!
12 Comments. Leave new
Well written . Sounds great
Jou resepte is en lyk heerllik, verleidelik. Jou foto’s is stunning, maar ek hou die meeste van jou humor. Doen zoo voort!
Thanks Da. Loads more coming up with that truck load of bananas you just bought!
Dankie Hetta! Hoop jy gaan eendag die tyd kry om so paar nuwe idees uit te probeer. Het nog altyd die lekkerste koeke by jou geeet!
Only one word to describe this banana bread “YUMMY”. My family polished it within a few hours!!! Now you know why I am so reluctant to bake. Going to make 2 tomorrow….maybe it will last until the evening.
So glad to hear that it’s not just in the Bibby household that food gets “demolished”. The bananas can’t ripen fast enough to keep up with the demand!
Thank you for this delicious Banana Bread! I made two and we could not get enough of it! It is the first time I had to on purposely “burn” butter!! LOL. Our new favorite! R
Absolute pleasure Rosanne. Once you get a taste of brown butter anything, it’s hard to go back! Unfortunately a loaf doesn’t seem to last a day.
Dear Dianne as I absolutely love cooking I have to say that I am super impressed with your recipes and mostly your imagination. For probably the first time in South Africa I have found someone who’s really really great at making yummy food. I love the Ottolenghi books and recipes. However, it is wonderful to have someone from your own country who knows what you can and cannot get here and also have such a genuine passion for good food. Well done. I am super impressed and thank you for the great recipes.
Hi there Lesley. I’m blown away. Thank you for your kind words! I’m so thrilled to hear that the recipes are doing what they’re intended for. To inspire and delight, with maybe a pinch of the unusual. Food remains of life’s simplest pleasures yet it’s the most powerful vehicle for community and connectivity. I love that it continues to move and inspire curiosity and passion, especially in times such as this. Wishing you and your family good health and peace amidst the chaos. Much love Di
Hi Bibbi…do you use treacle sugar for this?
Hello Heidi
My apologies for the late reply. It’s been the busiest time with book launch events!
I use light, soft brown sugar here. The granules are perfect and loose, not clustered together as is often the case with caramel sugars, ensuring a lovely crunchy topping. Happy baking.