This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
I think someone might be trying to pull a fast one on us -or at the very least, trying to bamboozle us! This recipe was first posted in August of 1999 in an Epicurious online recipe forum called Gail's Recipe Swap. The four word title for the bread was exactly as I have named it above, but guess what? While three of the words are completely accurate, I have a sneaking suspicion that the fourth may be the conniving work of a CCC (culinary con artist)!
This sweet delight is unbelievably, yes indescribably delicious and it is definitely loaded with wonderful banana flavor (4 bananas for each batch!) but BREAD??? Come on now!? I just cannot, in good conscience, call this wonderful stuff bread. Coffee cake? Sure. Cake? Oh yes! One of the most delicious cakes ever? YES! just not BREAD!
Seriously, try it for yourself, I think you'll agree and will be making this amazing bread oops, I mean, cake again and again. After all, we have to have something to do with all those bananas that are past their prime, right?!
Notes:
- The original recipe calls for pecans, however, I used macadamia nuts. (I found a super-duper sale) - I think pecans would also be fantastic.
-The recipe makes two large or four small loaves (or 2 round cake pans or 10-inch tart pans, if you're being honest and calling it dessert!) so it's great for gift giving.
-The bread/cake freezes well so it's wonderful to have stashed away for a rainy (or hungry) day!
- It is delicious for dessert - serve warm with a scoop of ice cream, a few slices of fresh banana and a tiny drizzle of caramel sauce - it's the creme de la creme!
- Another idea is to make it without the topping - it will be the best banana bread you've ever made!
- The last sentence in the directions is probably the most important - when you are broiling the topping, watch it very carefully! I got distracted and could have cried when I looked in the oven and saw the pitiful looking scene you see below! OOOOPS!!! My smoke alarm got a little exercise that day too........... 🙁
Shhhhhhhhhhhh, ............I did say a teeeeeny weeeeny bad word but don't tell anyone.........
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1-½ cups sugar
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 4 very ripe bananas mashed*
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1-½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 10 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup or more chopped pecans
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
-
Cream butter and sugar. Mash bananas and add to butter mixture along with the beaten eggs, vanilla and buttermilk. Mix well. Add flour, soda and salt and beat well. Pour into 2 well greased and floured 9"x 5"x 3" loaf pans.
-
Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until bread pulls away from sides of pan. Round cake pans will only take 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs, no wet batter. Cool in pan.
-
For topping, melt butter in saucepan. Add sugar and milk. Cook until very syrupy. Remove from heat and add chopped pecans. Pour over bread, spreading to all the corners and place under broiler until bubbly and brown. WATCH CLOSELY so topping does not burn. Remove from oven and let sit until cool. Carefully run thin bladed knife around edges of bread to loosen any areas that are sticking and remove from pan. ENJOY!
Ann C Light says
Great banana "bread". I have learned a few things... I had passed this up in the past because it says it take 3 hours! Just a misprint if you use the cake pans it is done in a flash : ) I now just mix the topping and spread it over the bread before popping under the broiler. If you heat on the stove the molasses in the brown sugar can caramelize first and even burn before the sugar is melted not to mention that the butter totally separates from the sugar = goopy mess. Be quick under the broiler or you dry out the bread. Very yummy recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your results, Ann. Yes, 3 hours is not accurate. We will fix that!
Rosa DeSensi says
hI i just finished making the banana muffins on your blog and they smell amazing. then looking at more banana recipes I saw this one for the indescribably delicious banana bread. Im going to try that recipe next. I just wanted to tell you that I was humbled by the fact that you make mistakes too!
I love the bible passages at the end of your recipes and I have added many of the songs to my play list.
Thanks again and God Bless
Chris Scheuer says
Ha! Oh yes, I make plenty of mistakes. So glad you enjoyed the muffins!
Debbie Cabler says
My husband said the banana bread/cake was the best he had ever eaten. It doesn't get any better than that.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Debbie! I'm so happy you enjoyed it!
Shannon says
Chris, I have made this "bread" and it is simply devine. I am thinking since I will call it cake I don't want to make 2- 9" but one. Would you recommend to of course increase baking time but would you lower the temperature to say 325 degrees? Just wanting some confirmation before I attempt..... Thanks!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Shannon, I'm so happy you enjoyed this "bread" 🙂 It's kind of a lost recipe in our archives and I'm actually thinking of taking some new photos and bringing it forward again as it's too good to let go.
As ar as making it in a 9-inch pan, I think you should be fine baking it at 350˚F. But it will definitely take a bit longer and you might need to cover it with some foil near the end so the topping doesn't get too browned.
Shannon says
Chris, I have now made this cake numerous times in a 9" cake pan at 325 about 65-70 minutes and it is superb. This cake has morphed into a chocolate sundae. Heat a slice in microwave and top with vanilla ice cream, chocolate fudge sauce, whip cream, fresh banana slices and more chopped pecans and maybe even a bit of caramel and his is unbelievable! Thank you so much for posting this incredible recipe!
Chris Scheuer says
Oh, that's awesome Shannon, thanks for sharing! I love it!
Ann says
This looks like something we would enjoy, but I've had variable success with banana recipes that call for a number of whole fruits but not a volume or weight of mashed fruit. Do you have an idea of the size of fruit you normally use, or the number of cups of mashed fruit they yield? Or, in your experience with the recipe, does it not matter? Looking forward to trying this very soon!
The Procrastobaker says
Of course this whollleee recipe looks delicious, but my goodness THAT TOPPING! That is going to be in my dreams from now until i make it a reality. Gorgeous looking bread/cake 🙂 even that hilarious last picture has a...charm..about it!
ANNIE says
ha, ha, ha, ha ,ha , ha, ha,......(ROTFL).....you are so precious and honest with your OOPS! 🙂
The Café Sucré Farine says
true! 🙂
Sandra says
It would be so easy to lose myself in this cake. I know I would pick away at that topping eveytime I was within 3 feet of this yummy dessert.
The Café Sucré Farine says
Thanks Kelly, you are so funny, love it! Maybe I will just keep calling it bread!
Kelly says
Chris, your food is just so incredibly beautiful (even your smoke alarm version manages to look stunning) - Love the switch up with macadamia and the 'bread' title works for me...lower register on the guilt scale 🙂
Jane @ Sweet Basil Kitchen says
Confession is good for the soul...!