King Arthur Flour declared this Whole-Grain Banana Bread their 2018 Recipe of the Year and for very good reason. So flavorful, moist and holy moly, so good! This banana bread has completely won us over.
(This recipe was originally posted April 4, 2018)
Whenever I see a recipe with phrases attached to it like world’s best, recipe of the year, best ever, etc., you’d better believe I’ll be trying it.
Those words always intrigue me and I have to find out for myself if it really is the best chocolate chip cookie, or cinnamon roll, or banana bread, or whatever else it might be. So when I saw this recipe for Whole-Grain Banana Bread – 2018 Recipe of the Year I was all over it!
Now before you start thinking that the last thing you need is another banana bread recipe, please just hear me out. I completely get it. I thought that same thing because my heart belongs to my grandma’s banana bread recipe. But this recipe I’m sharing today has definitely found a place in my heart and might actually be the best banana bread I’ve ever had.
I absolutely see why King Arthur Flour declared it their recipe of the year for 2018.
The ingredients are plain and simple. Nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe the whole wheat flour and brown sugar do something magical to this bread. I don’t know! I do know that I’ve fallen in love with this bread and my husband and boys would whole heartedly agree that it is phenomenal!
The cinnamony-sugary topping is so good and then smearing softened butter on a slice . . . it’s just heavenly!
A FEW TIPS FOR MAKING THIS BREAD:
- Make sure you don’t pack the flour in the measuring cup. I very rarely spoon and level off flour when I’m baking, but for this recipe it does make a difference. So gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level off with a knife.
- You can leave the nuts out completely in the recipe (I did), or you can substitute up to 1 cup chocolate chips, dried fruit, pumpkin seeds, or any other mix-ins of your choice.
- You can substitute white sugar if you don’t have any brown, but I highly suggest you use the brown sugar. It gives this bread a slightly caramelized flavor and makes it so moist.
If you’re looking for other recipes to use up those ugly brown bananas sitting on your counter, try these recipes:
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Whole Grain Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 10 to 12 servings 1x
Ingredients
Batter:
- 2 cups mashed banana (about 4 or 5 medium bananas)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Topping:
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan. (*If your pan is glass or stoneware, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.)
- In a large bowl, stir together the banana, oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- Add the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and chopped nuts (if using). Mix well, making sure you scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl as you’re mixing.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter. Bake for 60-75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool it in the pan for 15 minutes, then using a butter knife, loosen the edges, and turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool completely.
- Store leftover bread, tightly wrapped, at room temperature for several days. Freeze for longer storage.
Notes
- Don’t pack the flour in the measuring cup. Scoop it and level it off with a knife instead. I don’t normally do this when baking, but the recipe highly recommends doing this because it does makes a difference in this recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
Recipe Source: King Arthur Flour
Tried this today Jodi, and we all loved it!! I’m not even a huge banana bread fan and I thought it was delicious. Definitely a keeper. Thanks!
Hi Tiff! I’m so happy you made this and loved it. Thanks for letting me know!