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Maple Banana Bread

Maple banana bread with real maple syrup baked into the batter for a warm amber loaf and a soft, tender crumb. Finish with a hot brush of maple syrup for a glossy top and deep maple perfume throughout every slice.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana loaf base
  • 3 bananas Ripe bananas mashed until smooth.
  • 0.3333333333 cup butter Melted; use unsalted if preferred.
  • 0.5 cup pure maple syrup Use real maple syrup for the best flavor.
  • 1 egg Large egg, room temperature if possible.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.25 tsp nutmeg
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Mix-ins & topping
  • 0.5 cup pecans or walnuts Chopped; toast if you want extra crunch.
  • 2 tbsp extra maple syrup For brushing the hot loaf top.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Mash the ripe bananas until smooth, then measure out what you need for the batter.
Make the batter
  1. Whisk the melted butter, pure maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract into the mashed bananas until smooth.
  2. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until just combined.
  3. Fold in the chopped pecans or walnuts.
Bake & finish
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
  2. Bake at 350°F for 60–70 minutes, until a deep golden color forms and a toothpick comes out clean.
  3. Immediately brush the top with 1–2 tablespoons of warm maple syrup while still hot for a glossy finish.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then unmold.

Notes

Pro tip: use very ripe bananas (yellow with brown spots) so the crumb stays soft without extra sugar. Store wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. Freezing is yes—wrap slices and freeze up to 2 months. Dietary swap: replace pecans with chopped toasted walnuts for the same texture, or omit nuts for a nut-free version (reduce sweetness slightly in perception, since the crust still relies on maple syrup + banana).