Heavenly Banana Bread with a Crunchy Pecan Topping

What’s for breakfast?
Make this banana bread the night before…it will be waiting for you in the morning.
Enjoy with a freshly brewed cup of hot coffee. Mmmm…so good…a great way to start the day.

This banana bread was created by Zoe Francois, a pastry chef. Check out her website, Zoe Bakes. It’s full of great recipes and gorgeous photography. Zoe also has a youtube channel.

I like that this bread is moist! There’s nothing worse than a dry loaf. One thing…It was a bit sweet. I may pull back on the sugar in the batter next time. In addition to mashing the bananas with a fork, I slightly pureed the bananas. Also, added roasted pecans to the batter. I love roasted nuts in my baked goods. For more interest, I added a crunchy pecan topping that I created. The crunchy texture coupled with the moist bread works well together. For a less crunchy topping, add more melted butter to mixture.

A SHOUT-OUT to a pecan business located in Southeast Georgia by the name,

Durden Pecan, We Are Going Nuts.

Telephone:
912-685-5534

Business:
Durden Pecan

Address:
2771 DL Durrence Rd
Reidsville, GA 30427

General Information: ganutfarm@gmail.com

If you are in the area, please stop by to visit at the Durden Pecan plant:
1100 East Lillian St.
Metter, GA 30439

The Durrence Family will be happy to supply you with Georgia pecans. They have been selling pecans for over 15 years. They also sell pecans online.

I know Dorothy Cunningham from Flickr. She is a family relative of the business owners. Above are Dorothy’s photos of the Durden pecans used to make her Pecan Pie. You can also check out her blog for the Pecan Pie recipe.

Ok, time to head to the kitchen to bake…don’t forget your apron… 🙂

Heavenly Banana Bread with Crunchy Pecan Topping

Pecan Banana Bread – Recipe by Zoe Francois
Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Yield: 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups (about 4 medium sized) over ripe bananas, mashed
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 cup chopped roasted pecans
Shortening – to coat pan

CRUNCHY PECAN TOPPING
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup pecans, toasted and finely chopped
1tablespoon butter, melted (add more if necessary)

DIRECTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rack in the middle of the oven.
2) Coarsely chop ¾ cup pecans for the batter.
3) Finely chop ¼ cup pecans for the topping.
4) Roast nuts in a skillet or the oven for about 5-7 minutes. Cool nuts. Set aside.
5) Spread shortening in an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 – inch loaf pan. (I used a 9×5 loaf pan). Set aside.
6) In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
7) Mash bananas: Peel bananas. Mash with a fork. Set aside. (Optional-put mashed bananas in food processor and mix using the pulse button a few times )
8) PECAN TOPPING: Combine flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and finely chopped pecans. After mixing dry ingredients, add melted butter. Mix. Set aside.
9) In a stand mixer (use paddle attachment), cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down batter with spatula.
10) Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Then, scrape down batter with spatula.
11) Add vanilla and heavy cream. Mix.
12) Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula to stir, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the mashed bananas in 3 batches, mixing just enough to combine them.
13) Add the chopped pecans and mix just to combine.
14) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.
15) PECAN TOPPING. Combine and mix all ingredients except the butter. After mixing dry ingredients, add melted butter. Mix. Sprinkle over batter. Depress lightly.
16) Bake for about 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean.
17) If the top is over browning after 45 minutes, gently drape the top with aluminum foil.
18) Cool in pan on cooling rack.

RECIPE PHOTO TUTORIAL BY CARMEN ORTIZ

Heavenly Banana Bread with a Crunchy Pecan Topping

Pecan Banana Bread – Recipe by Zoe Francois
Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place rack in the middle of the oven.
Coarsely chop ¾ cup pecans for the batter.

Finely chop ¼ cup pecans for the topping.

Roast nuts in a skillet or the oven for about 5-7 minutes. Cool nuts. Set aside.

Spread shortening in an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 – inch loaf pan. (I used a 9×5 loaf pan). Set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Mash bananas: Peel bananas. Mash with a fork. Set aside. (Optional-put mashed bananas in food processor and mix using the pulse button a few times )

PECAN TOPPING. Combine flour, brown sugar, ground cinnamon and finely chopped pecans. After mixing dry ingredients, add melted butter. Mix. Set aside.

In a stand mixer (use paddle attachment), cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for about 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down batter with spatula.

Add the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Then, scrape down batter with spatula.

Add vanilla and heavy cream. Mix.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a rubber spatula to stir, alternate adding the dry ingredients and the mashed bananas in 3 batches, mixing just enough to combine them.

Add the nuts and mix just to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top.

Sprinkle Pecan Topping over batter. Depress lightly.

Bake for about 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean.

If the top is over browning after 45 minutes, gently drape the top with aluminum foil.

Cool in pan on cooling rack.

To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.
Johannes A. Gaertner

Peace in Baking,

Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul

Photography by Carmen Ortiz ~All Rights Reserved.
Not to be used without permission.