Best Banana Nut Bread Recipe (Old-Fashioned & Moist)
This moist banana nut bread recipe is straight from my grandma’s kitchen. It’s an old-fashioned favorite made with ripe bananas, crunchy pecans, and lots of love.
She used to bake it in a bundt pan — perfect pre-portioned slices and an easy way to keep me from taking more than one at a time!
Ingredients for Moist Banana Nut Bread
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 sticks of real butter (Grandma’s original said “oleo”)
- 4 large eggs
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup buttermilk (or buttermilk substitute)
- 6 ripe bananas
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional, but highly recommended!)
How to Make the Best Banana Nut Bread
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Grease your bundt or mini-loaf pans with cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together sugar, vanilla, softened butter, and eggs (add one at a time).
- Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until well combined.
- In a blender, add buttermilk and peeled bananas. Blend until smooth.
- Slowly pour banana mixture into the batter while mixing. Beat until incorporated.
- Fold in chopped nuts.
- Pour batter evenly into pans. For mini-loaves, fill each about ¾ full.
- Bake until golden brown and center is set:
- Mini loaf pans: about 1 hour
- Bundt pan: 1.5 hours
- Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap leftovers in foil to keep moist.
Expert Tips for Banana Nut Bread
- Use bananas with plenty of brown spots for the richest flavor.
- Out of buttermilk? Try this quick substitute.
- Add chocolate chips or cinnamon for a twist on the classic.
Try These Related Recipes:
- Kona Banana Bread – Tropical twist with pineapple!
- Easy Buttermilk Substitute
- Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I freeze banana nut bread?
Yes! Wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months.
Can I make this without nuts?
Absolutely. Just skip the nuts for a classic banana bread version.
Can I use a hand mixer?
Yes! A stand or hand mixer works great to combine the batter.
Best Banana Nut Bread Recipe
Grandma use to make the best banana bread. Here's her recipe for you to taste for yourself.
Ingredients
- 3c sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 2 sticks oleo (yes, this recipe is THAT old. I use butter, real butter. No margarine for Grandma!)
- 4 eggs
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 c buttermilk (or try this easy buttermilk substitute*)
- 6 ripe bananas
- 1c nuts (if desired- I usually desire chopped pecans)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray cooking spray on pan.
Beat sugar, vanilla, oleo/butter and eggs (one at a time) well...
Blend in flour, baking soda, and salt.
Pour buttermilk into a blender.
Peel and slice bananas into blender with buttermilk.
Blend until liquefied.
Slowly add the banana mixture to the batter while beating. Mix until incorporated.
Add nuts.
Pour batter into prepared pan(s). I prefer to use mini-loaf pans.
Bake until golden brown and the middle
is set. Check every 1/2 hour. (In my experience, 1 batch of 6 mini loaf pans usually takes about an hour, whereas the same batch will make a bundt-size pan in about an hour and a half...)
Let cool and serve.
Wrap the remaining bread in foil to preserve freshness.