Salted Caramel Banana Bread: A Sweet and Salty Twist on a Classic Favorite
How to Make Salted Caramel Banana Bread
1. Prepare the Oven and Baking Pan
- Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the bread.
2. Make the Salted Caramel Sauce
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the brown sugar, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stir frequently, allowing the sugar to dissolve and the mixture to thicken slightly.
- Once the sugar has dissolved, carefully pour in the heavy cream. Continue to stir and let the mixture simmer for about 3-4 minutes, until it thickens to your desired consistency.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Let the caramel cool slightly.
3. Mash the Bananas
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas using a fork or potato masher. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas. Set aside.
4. Prepare the Banana Bread Batter
- In a separate bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in the mashed bananas.
5. Assemble the Banana Bread
- Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Drizzle half of the salted caramel sauce over the batter. Use a toothpick or knife to swirl the caramel into the batter.
- Add the remaining banana bread batter on top and drizzle with the remaining salted caramel sauce. Swirl again to combine.
6. Bake the Banana Bread
- Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean (or with a few crumbs). If the top is browning too quickly, cover the loaf with aluminum foil and continue baking until fully cooked.
7. Cool and Serve
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, slice and serve. Enjoy the rich caramel flavor paired with the softness of the banana bread!
Tips for the Best Salted Caramel Banana Bread
- Use ripe bananas: The riper your bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. Overripe bananas are perfect for baking!
- Make the caramel ahead of time: If you’re short on time, you can prepare the salted caramel sauce ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator. Just reheat it slightly before using.
- Adjust the salt: If you prefer a stronger salty flavor to balance the sweetness, feel free to add more sea salt to the caramel.
- Add mix-ins: For extra texture and flavor, consider adding chopped walnuts, chocolate chips, or even a bit of cinnamon to the banana bread batter.
- Serve warm: For a cozy treat, serve the banana bread slightly warm with an extra drizzle of salted caramel on top.
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