A moist and fluffy bread that gets its delicious flavor from a combination of ripe bananas and creamy peanut butter. You’ve never tasted banana bread quite like this!
It’s no secret that bananas and peanut butter are great buddies, so there was no doubt in my mind that the day would come when peanut butter slipped its way into my favorite banana bread.
However, since peanut butter usually make cakes heavier, it was especially challenging trying to add it to already-dense banana bread.
But don’t you worry. I’ve made enough PB banana bread these past few months to make sure that you get a bread that’s perfectly moist, fluffy, and delicious with a noticeable flavor of both peanut butter and bananas.
This recipe is slightly different than my beloved banana bread. The main difference is the kind of fat used. My original banana bread recipe uses butter, but this one uses oil.
Butter adds flavor, which I didn’t find necessary in this bread because it’s already bursting with banana and peanut butter goodness. Therefore, I stuck with oil for it’s subtle flavor and ability to retain moisture.
How to make peanut butter banana bread
For a lighter texture, I beat together the eggs and sugar in a mixer, which incorporates air into the batter and ultimately makes it less dense. I do the same with my dulce de leche muffins recipe. It does make the bread a bit on the cakey side, but it still has the structure of a quick bread.
- Combine the dry ingredients.
- Beat the eggs and sugar together.
- Drizzle in the oil.
- Add sour cream, vanilla, peanut butter, and bananas.
- Incorporate the dry ingredients.
- Bake.
- Cool.
Baker’s tip: If the top is browning too fast or if the nuts start to burn while baking, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. This will allow the bread to continue baking but will protect it from browning further.
Tips for making peanut butter banana bread
- Use ripe bananas. The best bananas to use for this recipe are very ripe ones. You don’t want them to be green or completely browned, but soft, and very ripe. These bananas have the most flavorful and mash easily.
- Don’t over mix the batter. This often makes the bread tough and dense. To avoid this, only mix the dry ingredients into the batter until combined, and don’t overwork the batter.
- Use full-fat yogurt or sour cream. The fat content gives the bread flavor, moisture, and structure. Using reduced or fat-free will affect the deliciousness of the bread.
What kind of peanut butter should I use?
I developed this recipe using unnatural creamy peanut butter, like Skippy or Jif. I prefer baking with this kind of peanut butter because it contains stabilizers which gives the peanut butter a thick consistency and prevents it from separating. It also has added sugars, which helps sweeten the peanut butter banana bread.
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More of my favorite loaf cakes
- White and Dark Chocolate Marble Cake: Rich white and dark chocolate cakes swirled together for a heavenly combo.
- Maple Banana Bread: Take your banana bread to new heights with real maple syrup!
- Poppy Seed Cake: Super moist and full of flavor, this poppy seed cake is flavored with orange juice and orange zest.
- Mom’s Honey Cake: A family favorite, this cake is bursting with honey flavor.
Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (210g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs , at room temperature
- ¾ cup (150g) brown sugar or granulated sugar or a combination
- ¼ cup (60 ml) canola/vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (60 ml) full-fat yogurt or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)
- ½ cup (125g) creamy peanut butter (I prefer Skippy)
- Chopped walnuts or pecans , for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
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In a large bowl mix together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
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In a mixer bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed and with the mixer running, add oil slowly and beat until combined. Beat in sour cream and vanilla extract until combined, followed by mashed bananas and peanut butter. Add flour mixture and beat just until combined. Don’t overmix in order to keep the bread as light as possible.
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Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle nuts on top if desired. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too fast or if the nuts start to burn while baking, cover pan loosely with aluminum foil. Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes, then turn it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
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This bread tastes best a day after it’s made as the flavors blend and become more intense. However, it tastes delicious on the first day as well, so don’t let that stop you from digging in.
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Store this moist bread at room temperature or in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Bread can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw it on the counter or overnight in the fridge.
Kate says
These look amazing! Would it be possible to make this recipe as muffins instead of a loaf?
Shiran says
Yes you can 🙂 Preheat your oven to 375F/190C, fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full, and bake for 15-20 minutes.
Bruce says
Could you add chocolate chips? If so when?
Shiran says
Yes! You can fold it into the batter, after adding the flour mixture.
Hiruki Wickramasinghe says
I’ve made this for the third time today, and it is delicious every single time! I also always add a cup of chocolate chips, it makes the loaf irresistible!