Peanut Butter and Banana Bread
This banana bread is inspired by one of my all time favorite snacks: peanut butter and banana. There is nothing like peeling a gorgeous banana, frosting it with creamy peanut butter, sprinkling it with flaky sea salt then eating like it's a culinary delicacy. (Because it is.)
I decided to take this snack and turn it into this gorgeous recipe because I honestly believe the world is ready for another banana bread recipe. Also, I had an abundance of very ripe bananas staring at me! Felt right!
At the core of this recipe is a very moist banana bread that uses 4- yes 4 - extremely ripe bananas! Because I am me, I added large chunks of chocolate to it, which I highly recommend you do also. And in the same way I would frost my banana with peanut butter, I am frosting my banana bread with a creamy dreamy peanut frosting that is embarrassingly easy to make! Flaky sea salt on top, of course.
Watch me make this recipe on Instagram!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
Banana Bread:
½ cup granulated sugar*
½ cup brown sugar*
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 ripe bananas, mashed****
2 cups all-purpose flour**
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup chopped chocolate bar, semi-sweet or dark (optional)
Peanut Butter Frosting:
¼ cup smooth peanut butter***
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 cup water
Flaky sea salt, for topping
*The sugars here are flexible, so you can use 1 full cup of granulated OR brown sugar and it will be delicious. Also, brown sugar can be dark or light. She's easy!
**Gluten free All-Purpose 1:1 flour can be used.
***Any nut butter, seed butter or cookie butter will work here!
****3 bananas will also work if that is all you have! Allergic to bananas? Use apple sauce instead.
WHAT YOU'LL DO:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 stick melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You can use your hands, a hand held mixer or a stand mixer to mix. Add 2 egg and 4 mashed bananas to the bowl. Combine. Mix in 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
If using, add in ½ cup chopped chocolate bar. Feel free to add more if you like lots of chocolate!
Grab your loaf pan and spray it with baking spray. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment that is cut to the width of the long side of your pan. Leave extra flaps of parchment over the long side of the pan. These will be handles that make getting the bread out of the pan a cinch!
Place your batter into the loaf pan, spreading it evenly. Place in oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife comes cleanly out of the bread. Remove from oven and let cool.
This recipe can be made in a 9x9 inch pan or in muffin/cupcake tins. Both will require shorter bake times than the loaf pan, so keep an eye on the oven and stop when your testing knife comes out cleanly!
Do you have an oven thermometer? You need one! It will help you understand the temperature inside your oven and help your bake timing.
While your bread cools, let's make the peanut butter frosting. In a small bowl whisk together ¼ cup smooth peanut butter and 1 ½ tsp vanilla. Add in 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and then ¼ cup water, little by little, whisking until the frosting reaches your desired consistency (you may not use the full 1/4 cup). Frost the top of your COOLED banana bread and sprinkle with sea salt on top.
Slice and serve!
Store banana bread in an airtight container or bag to keep it fresh. Your bread will freeze really well (unfrosted) if tightly wrapped to avoid freezer burn. To defrost, leave on the counter top overnight and then frost.
Make it step-by-step with me below!
We love love love ripe bananas. The riper the better. Is riper a word?
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl add ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup brown sugar, 1 stick melted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
2. Combine. You can use your hands, a hand held mixer or a stand mixer to mix.
3. Add 2 eggs and 4 mashed bananas to the bowl.
4. Combine. Add in 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
6. Combine.
7. If using, chop up ½ cup or so of your chocolate bar.
8. Add in ½ cup of your chopped chocolate bar. Feel free to add more if you like lots of chocolate!
9. Stir to evenly distribute the chocolate into the batter.
8. Grab your loaf pan and spray with baking spray. Line the pan with a sheet of parchment that is cut to the width of the long side of your pan. Leave extra flaps of parchment over the long side of the pan. These will be handles that make getting the bread out of the pan a cinch!
9. Place your batter into the loaf pan, spreading it evenly. Place in oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a knife comes cleanly out of the bread.
This recipe can be made in a 9x9 inch pan or in muffin/cupcake tins. Both will require shorter bake times than the loaf pan, so keep an eye on the oven and stop when your testing knife comes out cleanly!
Do you have an oven thermometer? You need one! It will help you understand the temperature inside your oven and help your bake timing.
10. Look at her, she's stunning! Remove her from the oven and let cool.
11. While your bread cools, let's make the peanut butter frosting. In a small bowl whisk together ¼ cup smooth peanut butter and 1 ½ tsp vanilla. Add in 1 cup of confectioner's sugar and water, little by little, whisking until you get a nice creamy dreamy frosting. Frost the top of your COOLED banana bread and sprinkle with sea salt on top.
Slice and serve!
Store banana bread in an airtight container or bag to keep it fresh. Your bread will freeze really well (unfrosted) if tightly wrapped to avoid freezer burn. To defrost, leave on the counter top overnight and then frost.