You’ve got a back pocket banana bread recipe on regular rotation- now what? Try these 7 simple tips to elevate your next loaf of banana bread into something sensational! From new flavors to new textures, we’ve got you covered, bakers.
Add A Sliced Banana To The Top
Not only does this look amazing, it also offers up a gooey banana bite in each slice! For the best presentation, we recommend a banana that is medium-firm and not covered in black spots.
How: Cut a peeled banana in half, then place the banana pieces into the batter, cut side up. Use 1 or both halves or even slice the banana into rounds and scatter the rounds across the top. (Chocolate banana bread recipe)
Add Streusel Crumb Topping
Crumble topping is easy to throw together and sprinkle on top of a loaf. It provides a sweet, buttery crunch to the top of each slice and transforms your loaf into something reminiscent of a fancy coffee shop quality treat.
Basic Crumble Topping: Combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter until mixed into sandy crumbs. You can use softened or melted butter for easy mixing. (Full tutorial here)
Marble The Top Of The Loaf
The beloved styling for baked goods that goes viral on social media. It’s mesmerizing to watch. Marble and swirl the top of your loaf with a butter knife and an inclusion. It’s a star-quality trick that we can all do at home.
How To Do It: Make your batter according to your recipe instructions. Divide the batter into 2 mixing bowls and add some cocoa powder or melted chocolate chips to one bowl. Alternate batters into the loaf pan. Then twirl and swirl to your heart’s delight. (Full tutorial here)
Drizzle A Glaze Over It
Banana bread is a great bake to showcase the natural sweetness of the fruit- kick the sweet factor up a notch by drizzling a glaze or icing over top. A quick vanilla glaze is all you need but don’t let us hinder your creativity. So many combos would heighten your loaf: cardamom-vanilla, cinnamon, espresso-chocolate, peanut butter, or maple. De-lish.
Oh- and please, use high-quality vanilla extract. If you’ve never tried it and just use the cheap grocery store version you will be blown away at the difference!!
Basic vanilla glaze: 1 cup powdered or confectioners sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2-3 tablespoons milk of choice. Stir well with a whisk to combine then drizzle over a loaf after it’s cooled for 15 minutes.
Beautify The Crack
Banana bread is going to form a crack 99% of the time. It’s normal. It’s the perfect little valley for icing or melted chocolate to pool and harden for an extra yummy bite. Although we can’t avoid the crack, we can make that baby beautiful! (Read all the tips and techniques here)
How to do it: Pour the batter into a loaf pan. Cut cold butter into very thin 1/4″ strips and place down the center of the loaf. It will melt and encourage the loaf to crack gorgeously right down the center as shown below.
Top With Oats & Brown Sugar
Oats provide a nice toothy bite and brown sugar is a perfect flavor companion to roasty, toasty banana flavors. They will give your loaf a sweet, crunchy crust to sink your teeth into.
How to: After pouring your batter into the pan sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1/4 cup rolled oats across the loaf. Then bake as directed and enjoy.
Drizzle melted chocolate On Top
We’ve all got a bag of chocolate chips stashed away in the pantry, right? Take chocolate chip banana bread to another level by drizzling some melted chocolate over top. Or use a chocolate baker’s bar.
How To Do It: Melted 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in the microwave or a double boiler until soft. (They will hold their shape until stirred) Stir then use a spoon in a back-and-forth motion to drizzle the melted chocolate over a loaf of banana bread that has cooled for at least 15 minutes.
Additional Banana Bread Tips
Place the baked loaf on a cooling rack and leave to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before cutting for slices that hold their shape.
For the tallest loaf of banana bread use an 8×4″ loaf pan instead of a 9×5 pan.
For extra big banana flavor, add a teaspoon of banana extract.
Use a parchment paper sling in your loaf pan for easy removal.
Additional Banana Bread Recipes
Cardamom Crunch Banana Bread
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