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Apple Banana Bread Recipe

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★★★★★

4.8 from 141 reviews

This Apple Banana Bread is a moist, cake-like quick bread that beautifully blends the flavors of classic banana bread with apple pie. Featuring sweet mashed bananas, tart diced apples, and a cinnamon-spiced streusel topping, this bread is perfect for fall or any time of year. It’s easy to make, freezes well for prepping ahead, and stays soft for days.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (or 1:1 gluten-free baking flour)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for tossing apples)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large bananas)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Fruit

  • 1 to 2 medium apples (preferably tart variety like Granny Smith), peeled and diced

Streusel Topping

  • ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Make the Streusel Topping: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add cold butter pieces and use a fork or pastry blender to mix until crumbly. Set aside.
  2. Prepare the Apple Mixture: Peel and dice the apples into small chunks. Toss them with brown sugar, cinnamon, and a small amount of flour to prevent sinking during baking.
  3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg until evenly combined.
  4. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large bowl, stir the mashed bananas, melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, careful not to overmix.
  6. Fold in Apples: Carefully fold the floured apple chunks into the batter to distribute them evenly without breaking.
  7. Prepare the Pan: Grease a bread loaf pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper allowing some overhang for easy removal.
  8. Assemble and Top: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and evenly sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter.
  9. Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 65 to 75 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
  10. Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then use the parchment paper overhang to lift it out and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

  • Measure mashed bananas by volume for accuracy because banana sizes vary.
  • Use parchment paper with overhang for easy bread removal from the pan.
  • Tossing apples in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
  • The toothpick test is essential as apples add moisture and baking times can vary.
  • To ripen bananas quickly, bake them whole with peel at 250°F for 20 minutes or place bananas in a paper bag at room temperature for a day.

Keywords: apple banana bread, quick bread, moist banana bread, cinnamon streusel, fall baking, overripe bananas, sweet bread, easy baking, cake-like bread

Find it online: https://dinewithlily.com/apple-banana-bread-recipe/