Like clockwork, every single January, I seem to share banana bread. It’s not something I do intentionally, it’s more so that my family just loves a classic banana bread. And personally, I love making it. Banana bread was a recipe my mom and I would make when I was a kid. We’d do a lot of baking together on the bitter-cold winter days when we lived in Cleveland. Most of the time, it was her chocolate chip cookies, her oatmeal cookies, a chocolate cake, buckeyes, or her special K-bars. Do you see a theme? A lot of chocolate. The one, non-chocolate thing we’d bake together was banana bread. She made hers so simply, I can almost remember the recipe by heart. For some reason, I’ve never once shared her original banana bread. This is pretty close though, only I used a few more wholesome ingredients. I now use maple syrup to sweeten the bread. I also use whole wheat pastry flour, which we’ve found makes the bread even more delicious. Oh, and coconut oil in place of canola oil.
The details
This could not be easier. Locate four very ripe bananas. I’m talking practically black bananas and very soft. If they’re just too black to eat, they’re perfect for banana bread. Mash up the bananas and then mix with a little coconut oil, pure maple syrup, a couple of large eggs, and a splash of vanilla. Add white whole wheat flour, a pinch of cinnamon, and a dash of salt. The cinnamon is that unexpected ingredient that might seem a bit off, but it’s actually what makes the banana bread batter really good. It’s subtle enough that you can’t really tell it’s there, but it adds a special touch. You can mix in some walnuts or pecans if you like, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t. It really just depends on the day. While the bread is baking in a loaf pan, make the butter. Some might skip this step, but please, I’m begging you all, MAKE THE BUTTER. It’s so delicious when slathered over a warm piece of bread. I whip the butter with either honey or maple. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, ginger, cloves, and a pinch of sea salt. Whip it all up until the butter is light and creamy. Trust me on the butter. If you love anything pumpkin spice, you’re going to love the butter. The bread with the butter slathered on is very tender, very banana-y, sweetened lightly with maple, and full of yumminess. A warm slice of perfect banana bread with cinnamon spice butter is perfect any time of day! Looking for other sweet winter recipes? Here are a few ideas: Iced Lemon Loaf Peanut Butter Protein Chocolate Chip Cookies Chocolate Chunk Rye Banana Bread 5 Minute Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Mug Cake Maple Glazed Doughnuts Baked Chocolate Fudge Glazed Doughnuts Baked Apple Cider Doughnuts with Cinnamon Maple Glaze Vanilla Chai Old Fashioned Chai Espresso Martini Lastly, if you make this Maple Banana Bread with Cinnamon Spice Butter be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
