Description
This easy pumpkin banana bread with toasted walnuts is incredibly moist, naturally sweetened by ripe bananas, and topped with crunchy toasted walnuts. It’s a foolproof, crowd-pleasing recipe perfect for fall mornings or cozy evenings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil (or canola, avocado, or melted coconut oil)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (can reduce to 1/2 cup if bananas are very ripe)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed (light or dark)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped roughly
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, for glazed walnuts)
- Pinch of flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the long sides. Alternatively, grease the pan thoroughly.
- Toast the walnuts: Place walnut pieces in a small dry skillet over medium heat. Shake every 30 seconds and toast for 3-4 minutes until fragrant and slightly darkened. Transfer to a plate to cool. If using maple syrup, drizzle over warm walnuts and toss to coat, then sprinkle with flaky salt.
- Mash the bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps.
- Mix the wet ingredients: To the mashed bananas, add pumpkin puree, vegetable oil, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
- Fold the dry into the wet: Add dry ingredients to wet in two additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula after each addition. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour and top: Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle toasted walnuts on top, pressing them in slightly.
- Bake: Place pan in center of oven and bake for 50-55 minutes. At 45 minutes, start checking for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center—it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If top browns too quickly, tent with foil for last 10-15 minutes.
- Cool: Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes. Then lift out using parchment handles and transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing (at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 hour).
Notes
Don’t overmix the batter—mix until flour just disappears. Use room temperature eggs. Toast walnuts for best flavor. Let bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. Bread tastes even better on day two. For muffins, divide batter into a 12-cup muffin tin and bake at 350°F for 18-22 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 18
- Sodium: 220
- Fat: 14
- Saturated Fat: 2
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 5
Keywords: pumpkin banana bread, easy pumpkin bread, banana bread with walnuts, fall bread, quick bread, pumpkin recipe