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As a child, I had a strong fondness for the banana nut Little Bites, which has carried over into my adult years as an appreciation for Starbucks’ banana nut bread.
Whenever I have a craving for something sweet, this bread never fails to satisfy.
Its texture is perfectly moist and airy, accentuated by a delicious crunch. The banana flavor is well-blended with the sugar’s sweetness, and the walnut and pecan combination adds a delightful extra crunch.
BONUS! This is the perfect recipe to make use of those overripe bananas sitting on your counter.
What is the secret to the Starbucks banana nut bread?
The first secret to the Starbucks banana nut bread is the ingredients and the fat ratio to flour.
The ideal combination is one where the ratio of wet and dry ingredients is roughly balanced, 2:1.
The butter and bananas will ensure a moist and rich bread. The ideal mixture is thick and less runny. More flour will lead to dry bread, and more butter and banana will make the bread too wet, making it challenging to form bread without falling apart.
The second secret is the delicious and earthy mix of walnuts and pecans. The combination gives the bread a crunchy texture.
Top Tips
Make sure your bananas are ripe.
Ideally, the banana is incredibly ripe, and the peel has dark spots. And probably a banana you wouldn’t want to eat as a snack. However, you want to ensure the banana peel is not entirely black. Bananas can turn sour and unpleasant. A super-ripe banana is perfect for banana bread or a banana smoothie. Yum. As it ages, the banana becomes sweeter. It takes about 4-5 days for a green banana to turn ripe.
Technique – Baine Marie
If desired, cook the banana bread using the bain marie or hot water bath. It can help cook the loaf evenly and keep it moist.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Salted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Vanilla
- Eggs
- Ripened Bananas
- Flour – If you prefer a gluten-free option, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour
- Cinnamon
- Baking Soda – You can substitute baking soda for a different leavening agent like baking powder, potassium bicarbonate, soda water, or self-rising water. It is an ingredient that will expand and allow the bread to rise.
- Baking Powder
- Eggs – You can substitute the eggs with sour cream for richness and moistness. Instead of two eggs, add half a cup of sour cream to the mixture.
- Chopped walnuts and pecans – if you’re not a fan of nuts, make this recipe without the nuts.
Chocolate Starbucks Banana Nut Bread?
Add a small handful of semi-dark chocolate nibs to your recipe if you love chocolate. Using a rubber spatula, slowly incorporate and mix well.
FAQs
Why Does The Middle Of The Banana Bread Not Cook?
When making banana bread, it’s important to note that the batter can be quite dense and moist due to the bananas. This may cause the bread to take a bit longer to cook through completely. It’s also common for the outer edges of the bread to brown more quickly than the middle, which could be a sign that the temperature is too high. Keeping a close eye on the bread as it bakes and adjusting the temperature as needed can help ensure that it cooks evenly and comes out perfectly.
Can I Make This Banana Bread Without Baking Soda?
Baking soda helps the bread rise because it acts as a leavening agent. If you’re looking to bake banana bread without baking soda, you can substitute baking soda with baking powder, potassium bicarbonate, self-rising flour, or soda water.
Can I Substitute Brown Sugar With White Sugar or Cane Sugar?
This recipe calls for cane sugar; however, you can swap it for brown or white sugar. It is identically sweet at a 1:1 ratio.
There are a couple of differences.
Cane sugar is extracted from sugarcane and naturally contains molasses. As a result, it has an incredible depth of flavor with hints of vanilla.
While brown sugar is also extracted from sugarcane, molasses is added after extraction to give it a brown color. As a result, it has a deep flavor, similar to toffee or caramel.
White sugar is refined and whitened and can come from sugar beet or sugarcane.
Storage and Reheating
Storage
You can store the banana nut bread in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
You can also slice the bread into individual slices and wrap them to store it longer and make it easy to take. Or you can keep it in a glass container or cover the baking dish before storing it in the fridge.
Reheating
Take a slice and toast it in a countertop oven or stovetop. A warm slice of banana bread is delicious, but you can also enjoy it at room temperature.
Steps For The Best Copycat Starbucks Banana Nut Bread
Step One
Mix the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl with a whisk to a creamy consistency.
Step Two
Cut the ripe banana, mash it, and mix it with butter and sugar. Then add vanilla extract.
Step Three
Add two whole eggs to the mixture and whisk.
Step Four
Mix the dry ingredients until the flour has dissolved.
Step Five
Chop whole walnuts into small pieces, add to the mixture, and mix.
Step Six
Butter a baking dish and add the mix to the baking dish—Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet and bake in a bain-marie to cook evenly. Add water to the baking sheet without getting water in the batter. Bake at 325 degrees for 75-85 minutes.
Step Seven
Let the banana bread sit for a few minutes before cutting a slice.
Enjoy and serve with a cold iced coffee or your favorite latte.
Starbucks Copycat Banana Nut Bread
Equipment
- 1 Countertop Smart Oven
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Measuring Spoons
- 1 Chef Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Baking Dish
- 1 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Granulated Sugar
- 8 tbsp Salted Butter
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 3 Whole Bananas Super ripened
- 2 Whole Eggs
- 1½ cup Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ cup Chopped Walnuts
- ½ cup Chopped Pecans
- ½ tsp Ceylon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Step 1Preheat the oven to 325.Add the butter and sugar to a large bowl and whisk until creamy.
- Step 2First, cut the bananas into small pieces and add them to the mixture. Then, use a spoon or fork to mix and mash everything together thoroughly.
- Step 3Add the eggs, vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean paste, and cinnamon to the mixture and stir until well combined.
- Step 4Add the dry ingredients and mix all the way through until the flour is completely dissolved.Add chopped walnuts and pecans – optional.
- Step 5Butter your baking dish and add the mixture. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet, place it in the oven, and add water to the baking sheet surrounding the baking dish. Bake 70-85 minutes at 325° until baked through. Test the bread with a toothpick or butter knife to ensure it is baked in the middle.
- Step 6Remove from the oven, let it cool off for 5-10 minutes, and enjoy! Although I love a freshly baked slice of banana nut bread!
Notes
Make sure your bananas are ripe.
Ideally, the banana is incredibly ripe, and the peel has dark spots. And probably a banana you wouldn’t want to eat as a snack. However, you want to ensure the banana peel is not entirely black. Bananas can turn sour and unpleasant. A super-ripe banana is perfect for banana bread or a banana smoothie. Yum. As it ages, the banana becomes sweeter. It takes about 4-5 days for a green banana to turn ripe.Technique – Baine Marie
If desired, cook the banana bread using the bain marie or hot water bath. It can help cook the loaf evenly and keep it moist. NOTE: It is important to check the bread’s doneness by inserting a butter knife or toothpick into the center as cooking times may differ based on your oven.7 responses to “Delicious Copycat Starbucks Banana Nut Bread”
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Patricia
It literally tastes as good as it looks. Thank you for sharing this. I made it as instructed and it turned out so good.
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