Sticky Caramelized Pecan Banana Bread
Never get bored of banana bread with this incredible, outrageous Sticky Caramelized Pecan Banana Bread that is a cross between sticky buns, banana upside down cake and banana bread! It features a simple, tender, buttery banana batter baked over toasted pecans and maple syrup for an irresistible sticky, nutty topping. You'll invert the loaf and peel off the parchment before you serve it to reveal these glistening jewels of pecans around caramelized banana. It is quite a beautiful site and the flavors are magical together. This beautiful banana bread is wonderful all through the year, and especially lovely during the Fall and during the holidays when baking with pecans becomes so popular. If you love making banana bread, check out my most popular recipe for the BEST Moist Chocolate Chip Banana Bread with and this viral Brown Butter Banana Bread Coffee Cake.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Easy to make - this easy banana bread recipe is very quick to prepare with simple ingredients. You only need 2 bananas to make the batter, and one more for the top reveal. You don't need an electric mixer and can make it in one bowl with a fork, a whisk or a spatula.
- Moist texture - this is a perfectly moist banana bread with a soft crumb that is not dense nor mushy.
- Sticky caramelized pecan topping - the star of this recipe is the layer of sticky, gooey, caramelized pecans surrounding caramelized banana on the bottom. This becomes the top of the loaf after you invert the pan to present it.
- Not too sweet - I am careful to control the sugar in the batter to balance the sugar needed to make the gooey topping. The bananas are sweet enough that you don't need a lot of sugar to keep the cake moist and it has a perfect banana flavor.
WHAT IS BANANA BREAD?
Banana Bread is in fact not bread at all. It is basically a leaner banana cake baked in a loaf pan. The term "bread" is given to loaf cakes baked in the style of "quick bread" which is a quick and simple method that involves combining liquid wet ingredients separately from dry ingredients and then blending them together. It does not involve any time consuming steps like "creaming" or alternating ingredients. You can find many other loaf recipes here.
INGREDIENTS FOR CARAMELIZED PECAN BANANA BREAD
- All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for a moist banana bread. Do not pack it down when measuring or use a scale to get the right amount.
- Baking powder - like most quick bread recipes, there is no aerating step such as whipping or creamy since you just mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. As a result, we really rely on chemical leavening agents to give rise to this loaf.
- Baking soda - baking soda is what gives this loaf such a rich deep brown crust and it will also react with the acidity from the molasses in brown sugar.
- Bananas - you'll need 3 large ripe bananas for this recipe. Mash them up and measure out 1 cup. I don't recommend using frozen bananas for the best taste, but it will still work. See my tips below in the FAQ section to read why.
- Unsalted butter - butter brings the flavor and adds richness to complement the buttery pecans. You can use salted butter too which will taste incredible! If you use salted butter for the batter, just reduce the added salt by about ⅛ teaspoon.
- Brown sugar - light or dark brown sugar works great in this recipe. It adds a lovely hint of molasses flavor and also keeps it extra moist.
- Yogurt - use plain full fat yogurt with at least 3% milk fat content for this recipe.
- Pecans - the best flavor comes from roasting your nuts, so I highly recommend toasting them in a dry frying pan over medium heat or in the oven at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
- Maple syrup - a bit of sugar with maple syrup caramelizes around the pecans and creates this irresistible gooey layer similar to the bottom of a batch of sticky buns.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO MAKE CARAMELIZED PECAN BANANA BREAD
- STEP 1). Combine dry ingredients. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and whisk well so it is evenly blended.
- STEP 2). Mash bananas. Mash the peeled bananas until very smooth using the back of a fork on a flat surface, like a plate or a clean cutting board. Measure it out so you have 1 cup (or weight out 240g of banana flesh).
- STEP 3). Combine wet ingredients. Place mashed banana in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and whisk until smooth, glossy and it looks syrupy. Add eggs to the mashed banana/sugar mixture and whisk them until evenly incorporated. Add melted butter, yogurt and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- STEP 4). Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture all at once and fold them in until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- STEP 5). Assemble the caramelized pecan layer. Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over the bottom of the prepared loaf pan, then drizzle maple syrup evenly over the sugar. Place one whole peeled banana flat on a work surface and slice it in half horizontally. Lay banana halves cut-side-down so they are flat over the sugar/syrup in the bottom of the pan as pictured in the video. Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans all around the bananas to cover the sugar layer on the bottom of the pan. Try not to get pecans on top of the banana because you'll need the batter to stick to the banana to hold together.
- STEP 6). Add batter to the pan. Spoon the banana bread batter into prepared pan in dollops over the fresh banana and nuts, then spread it out evenly. Run the spatula through the center lengthwise which will help it split down the middle as it bakes.
- STEP 7). Bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is evenly browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and invert onto a wire rack to let it cool upside down with the pan still on for about 15 minutes. Then, remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment to reveal the beautiful caramelized bananas and pecans. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired and serve warm or at room temperature.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
- Measure flour correctly. Adding too much flour to the batter can result in a dense loaf. Bananas contain carbohydrates that will contribute to some of the structure of the loaf itself, so the batter will be naturally wet. Resist the urge to add more flour.
- Use the right amount of bananas. Bananas come in all different sizes... generally small medium and large. The batter for this recipe uses 2 large-sized bananas, and 1 large banana (flesh only) weighs about 120g. So, that means after you peel your banana it should weigh about 120 grams. For this batter, you will need 240g of banana flesh.
- Mash the bananas very well. Mash the bananas to a smooth consistency. This will ensure you extract all of the sugars and starch so they incorporate into the batter to make it moist and with an even crumb texture.
- Toast your nuts. Pecans (and all other nuts) have so much delicious flavor after they've been toasted. You can do this in a moderate oven for about 10 minutes on a baking sheet, or in a dry frying pan over medium heat on the stove until fragrant.
- Do not over-mix - banana bread is a rustic batter and doesn't need to be perfectly smooth to turn out wonderfully. Just gently fold the flour in until evenly incorporated so there aren't any large dry streaks, but no need to mix excessively. Over-mixing will lead to a drier, tougher crumb texture instead of soft and tender.
- Avoid frozen bananas if you can. I always prefer to make banana bread with very ripe spotty bananas and not frozen bananas. That is because freezing destroys the cell structure of the banana so that a lot of water leaches out once they thaw. This water is free water and can cause a dense gummy layer to form at the bottom of the baked loaf. Fresh bananas have their cell structures intact so that they can contribute better to the integrity of the loaf.
RECIPE FAQ
If you prefer to use a mixer, you certainly can. Place the ripe bananas in the bowl and use the whisk attachment on medium speed to mash them up. Then continue to follow the recipe. Be careful not to over-mix once you add the flour.
The short answer is, "Yes", you can. However, I don't recommend it. For the best results, use very ripe spotty bananas. Ripe fresh bananas will provide the necessary sweetness while still contributing solid structure to the loaf without making it stodgy.
Frozen bananas discolor (they turn brown due to a chemical reaction called oxidation) and will leach water once defrosted. This free water can make the loaf soggy, and it may bake with a dense gummy layer on the bottom. Also, bananas take on lots of unpleasant freezer flavors that can alter the taste of the loaf.
Yes, you can replace the melted butter with an equivalent amount of oil by volume. The loaf will be extra soft, however it will lack some of the rich flavor.
This banana bread is ready when the top is deeply browned and cracked along the center. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out without any wet batter.
You don't! Banana bread will rise fine with baking powder and in fact I find most banana bread recipes have TOO MUCH baking soda which gives it a soapy taste and pasty texture. Although ripe bananas are mildly acidic, there is not enough acid in most banana bread recipes to react with all of that baking soda. My recipe has a blend of baking powder and soda to give it a deep golden crust, balanced flavor and also nice uniform crumb texture. When there is too much leavening, the gas escapes so fast and the loaf can collapse.
I prefer metal because it conducts heat quickly. Using glass means you need to bake the loaf longer and it can have a tendency to dry out if your oven runs too hot.
This banana bread keeps well in an airtight container for 1 day, but then I would recommend refrigerating it due to the fresh banana that is baked on top. It will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Yes, you absolutely can! To freeze the whole loaf, wrap it well in plastic wrap and then in foil. Place the wrapped loaf in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. If you choose to freeze slices, wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap and the place in a freezer bag.
For best freshness, wrap the cooled loaf first in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil before freezing.
If you have problems with your banana bread being dry, it is mostly likely because it has been over-baked or you have used too much flour. Make sure that you measure accurately.
If you love banana bread, check out these recipes!
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Video
Sticky Caramelized Pecan Banana Bread (Sticky Bun Banana Bread)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (215g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (237ml) mashed ripe banana* (from about 2 large bananas)
- ⅔ cup (145g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- ¼ cup (56g) salted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60ml full fat plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (65g) chopped toasted pecans
- 1 ½ tablespoon coarse sugar
- 2 tablespoon (30ml) pure maple syrup
- flaky sea salt for topping
*NOTE: be sure to measure out the banana after mashing as bananas vary in size. Alternatively, you can weigh out 240g of banana flesh (without the peel).
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan or 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it hang about an inch above the sides. Butter any exposed sides.
- Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and whisk well so it is evenly blended.
- Mash the peeled bananas until very smooth using the back of a fork on a flat surface, like a plate or a clean cutting board. Measure it out so you have 1 cup (or weight out 240g of banana flesh). Place mashed banana in a large mixing bowl. Add brown sugar and whisk until smooth, glossy and it looks syrupy.
- Add eggs to the mashed banana/sugar mixture and whisk them until evenly incorporated. Add melted butter, yogurt and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture all at once and fold them in until just combined. Do not over-mix.
- Sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over the bottom of the prepared loaf pan, then drizzle maple syrup evenly over the sugar. Place one whole peeled banana flat on a work surface and slice it in half horizontally. Lay banana halves cut-side-down so they are flat over the sugar/syrup in the bottom of the pan as pictured in the video. Sprinkle chopped toasted pecans all around the bananas to cover the sugar layer on the bottom of the pan. Try not to get pecans on top of the banana because you'll need the batter to stick to the banana to hold together.
- Spoon the banana bread batter into prepared pan in dollops over the fresh banana and nuts, then spread it out evenly. Run the spatula through the center lengthwise which will help it split down the middle as it bakes.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until the top is evenly browned and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and invert onto a wire rack to let it cool upside down with the pan still on for about 15 minutes. Then, remove the pan and carefully peel off the parchment to reveal the beautiful caramelized bananas and pecans. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt if desired and serve warm or at room temperature.
