This Coffee Banana Bread Recipe Is a Match Made In Flavor Heaven by Elisa Schmitz

I've got a delicious new banana bread recipe for you. Banana bread is one of life's greatest comfort foods and there are so many ways you can make it. From Grandma's banana bread to high-protein banana bread to chocolate chocolate chip banana bread, I've been on a serious banana bread kick (check out the health benefits of bananas). My latest is this amazing coffee banana bread recipe.

You may be wondering why I would put coffee in a perfectly good loaf of banana bread. If you think about it, though, coffee and banana bread are a match made in flavor heaven. After all, what goes better with a slice of banana bread for breakfast than a cup of fresh-brewed coffee? Not much!

The coffee adds moisture and flavor to this delicious banana bread recipe. But don't worry, the coffee flavor is not overpowering. It tastes mostly like banana bread with just a hint of coffee flavor, which is delish! This moist banana bread recipe includes plenty of overripe bananas plus coffee, unsalted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, flour, baking soda, sea salt and cinnamon. You can add some chopped walnuts and chocolate chips, if you like, but those are optional.

Pro Tip: I filled my 9x5-inch loaf pan about 3/4 full, then used the rest of the batter to make three chocolate chip muffins. Next time, I will leave enough batter for five muffins, and I will add chocolate chips to the entire loaf. The chocolate chip coffee banana bread muffins were delicious! I added a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, but that is optional. I used walnuts in my loaf, and walnuts and chocolate chips in the three additional muffins I made.

The result is a moist and delicious loaf of comforting banana bread that's perfect for breakfast with, yes, a cup of fresh-brewed coffee. It's also lovely served with tea for dessert or with a glass of milk as a snack anytime!

Cuisine: American 
Prep Time: 15 minutes 
Cook Time: 60 to 75 minutes (ovens vary) 
Total Time: 75 to 90 minutes 
Servings: 13

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup strong coffee or espresso
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
• 3 overripe bananas, mashed
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups flour (all-purpose or gluten-free flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Here's how to make it:

1. Make the coffee or espresso and set it aside. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter and brown sugar. Cream them together with a mixer or by hand until well combined and fluffy. (You can use regular drip coffee, espresso, cold brew coffee or instant coffee. The stronger you make the coffee, the more coffee flavor the bread will have.)
   
2. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and stir to combine.
   
3. Add the mashed bananas and stir to combine (you also could use a hand mixer to cream it all together).
   
   
4. In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk to combine. (You can use all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour. I used GF 1:1 flour.)
   
5. Add half the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine. Add half the coffee and stir to combine. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Add the other half of the coffee and stir until everything is just incorporated. Do not over-mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts, if using. (You could add milk chocolate chips, semisweet or dark chocolate chips.)
   
6. Evenly spread the batter into a 9x5-inch loaf pan that's been lined with parchment paper. I filled mine about 3/4 full, then used the rest of the batter to make three chocolate chip muffins.
   
   
7. Bake in the middle rack of an oven that's been preheated to 350 degrees F for between 60 to 75 minutes, depending on your oven. (I checked mine at 45 minutes and was surprised by how long it was taking to bake. Cover the top loosely with aluminum foil if it's getting too brown.) The top should have a nice crust, the inside should be soft but not mushy, and a toothpick should come out clean.
   
8. Allow loaf to cool in the pan before removing. (For best results, don't slice the loaf until it is cool.) Serve with coffee, tea or milk! Store leftovers in an airtight container. This loaf freezes well, too.
   
   

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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