No matter the season, it’s always the right time to make this delicious bourbon banana bread made with homemade bourbon caramel sauce and chock full of pecans. It’s truly the ultimate banana bread!
Best Bourbon Banana Bread: Key Components
Considered one of the most classic ‘loaf cake’ desserts, banana bread recipes have been around for almost a century now, dating back to the Great Depression era. Today, banana bread is so popular that it’s become one of the most searched ‘bread’ recipes online. If you’re interested in reading about the history of banana bread (hello history buffs!), the King Arthur Baking Company has a great article on its origins.
There’s something so comforting about a good slice of banana bread with its subtle banana flavor and tender melt-in-your-mouth crumb. A few years ago I decided to do some experimenting to see if I could develop a loaf that would have a tender crumb but with a molasses-like sweetness to it. I found that adding a secret ingredient to the batter helps create an ultra soft cake with a sweet yet molasses-like taste: homemade bourbon caramel sauce! It’s an extra step but it’s worth it and makes this recipe a truly standout banana bread.
1) Bourbon Caramel Sauce
- To make this sauce, boil water and sugar on medium high until the mixture turns an amber brown color. Take it immediately off the stove and pour in the room temp heavy cream (it will boil profusely when you do this so be careful!) and stir vigorously until you get a caramel color. Then, add the butter and stir until melted into the sauce and then add in the vanilla extract, salt, and bourbon. Of course, feel free to omit the alcohol–the caramel is still delicious without it!
- Feel free to double the caramel sauce and use some of it to pour on the banana bread!
2) Very Ripe Bananas
- Bananas are probably one of my all-time favorite baking ingredients, but when used in baking they need to be very ripe. As in, VERY dark brown ripe. In this recipe, I mashed up three very ripe bananas.
Tips and Suggestions:
- Always make sure your loaf pan is well greased and sprinkled with flour or sugar. If you’re using a pan with a design, try using a pastry brush dipped in melted butter to get into all the nooks and crannies of the pan. Afterwards, sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar and tap the pan all around so that the sugar coats the whole interior pan space.
- Feel free to substitute or omit the pecans.
- Be sure to check on the banana bread after the 60 minute mark. Insert a toothpick into the center to see if it’s ready (if it comes out clean then it’s ready, if not, add 3 minutes to the baking time and keep checking).
- Once the banana bread is baked and removed from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. It should come out easily, but if not use a knife to gently go around the edges to release it.
- This bourbon banana bread is best the day of baking but can be stored in plastic wrap for 2-3 days. I will sometimes freeze slices of it and store in the freezer so that there’s always a slice on hand in the future.
Best Banana Bourbon Bread
Equipment
- 1 standard loaf pan (6-cup)
- 1 handheld mixer
Ingredients
Bourbon Caramel
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 tbsp water
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp bourbon (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ⅛ tsp salt
Banana Bread
- 3 very ripe bananas
- 5 tbsp butter, room temperature, plus ½tbsp for greasing pan)
- 3 tbsp oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar, plus 1 tsp for greasing pan
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup bourbon caramel (see above)
- 1½ cup flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
Bourbon Caramel
- In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Heat at medium heat and let it boil– do not stir. The mixture will go from clear to light brown. Once brown, turn the stove off and remove the pan from heat.
- To the sugar mixture, pour in the room temp heavy cream. This will cause the mixture to boil profusely but keep stirring (but be careful!). Once mixed, add in the butter and mix until melted into the caramel.
- Add in the bourbon, salt, and vanilla extract and stir until incorporated. Set aside.
Bourbon Banana Bread:
- Heat oven to 350°. Grease a loaf pan with butter or oil. If you're using a mold with crevices, consider using a pastry brush to get in to all the nooks and crannies of the mold. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar and tap the pan to make sure the sugar coats the whole loaf pan.
- Peel three very ripe bananas and mash them with a fork. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a handheld mixer to cream together the butter, oil, and sugar until paler and fluffy (2 minutes).
- Next, add in the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.
- Add in the Greek yogurt, bananas and the bourbon caramel sauce and mix until just incorporated.
- Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until combined.
- Using a spoon or spatula, fold in the chopped pecans.
- Pour the batter into the prepared mold and bake in oven for 60-70 minutes (until the middle is set and a toothpick or knife inserted comes out clean).
- Let cool 10-15 minutes then carefully release from pan and cool on a cooling rack. Slice and enjoy! This bread will keep for several days if tightly wrapped. It also freezes very well.