Brown Butter Banana Bread
This banana bread uses browned butter in both the batter and the cream cheese frosting, which gives it a nutty, toasted flavor that complements the banana. The crumb is moist and dense, as you'd expect from a good banana bread.
Ingredients
For the Banana Bread:
- 3 very ripe bananas mashed
- 1 stick unsalted butter 1/2 cup
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp neutral oil like vegetable or canola
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup pecans chopped
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 stick unsalted butter 1/4 cup
- 4 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Brown 1.5 sticks butter in saucepan over medium heat until golden specks form and nutty aroma develops.
- Pour 1/3 of browned butter into separate bowl for frosting, reserve remainder for bread.
- Heat oven to 350F and line 9x5 inch loaf pan with parchment.
- Whisk remaining brown butter with granulated and brown sugars in large bowl.
- Add mashed bananas, eggs, yogurt, vanilla, and oil; whisk until combined.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture just until combined.
- Stir in pecans.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake 55-60 minutes until skewer comes clean.
- Cool in pan 1 hour, then transfer to wire rack until completely cool.
- Beat solidified brown butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt; mix until light and fluffy.
- Spread frosting over completely cooled bread.
Notes
Use very ripe bananas for best flavor. Tent with foil if top browns too quickly.