Banana Walnut Bread with Nutmeg Glaze ~ an unusual banana bread recipe made with molasses, espresso, spices, and lots of crunchy walnuts. This unique bundt cake will be come a new favorite.
I had a bit of bad luck with the gorgeous banana walnut bread. It wouldn’t pop out of the bundt pan. Even though I greased it, I cooled it, I ran a small knife around all the edges, I whacked it with a wooden spoon, but it wouldn’t budge. I tired a few more *drastic* measures and it finally came out… in pieces. My pan is past its prime. But I was able to salvage exactly 2 slices in order to show you what a lovely banana bread this is. And to help convince you that you should make it. IF you have a reliable bundt pan. Which I will have because I’m heading over to the mall today.
This cake has all the hallmarks of fall…I love the deep brown color, and the nutmeg glaze adds a really distinctive spice note. The mahogany color of the batter is achieved with a touch of molasses, cocoa powder, and espresso powder. A little unorthodox, but it lends a richness that banana bread doesn’t usually have. The predominant flavors are banana and walnut, the rest make up the background. The glaze is optional, but I love it. I’ve been planning to make a nutmeg glaze forever, and this seemed the perfect recipe for it. I think simple spice glazes are amazing. If you don’t like nutmeg, try cinnamon.
For me this is ideal to have around on a weekend morning…or on any holiday morning. In my fantasy B&B, this is on the weekly rotation. (What? And fantasy basketball isn’t weird?)
I will make it again just to update with better photos once I get my new pan.
By the way, I posted my stuck-in-the-pan dilemma on facebook and got some pretty terrific answers from readers…here are a few highlights in case this should ever happen to you—
- Turn it into a banana bread trifle.
- Hot towel wrapped around the pan for a few minutes & then try again.
- We’ve heard that freezing cakes can help.
- Bread pudding
- My Mother always turned cakes right over as soon as she took them out of the oven, said they slide out better when they are hot.
- My mom used to tell me to flip the pan over and put a wet/ warm towel on the bottom until it popped out. Worth a try perhaps. Good luck!
- This is why I’ve switched to a tube cake pan with a removable bottom. My bundt pan ALWAYS sticks!
- Pour a cup of coffee, grab a fork, and dig in.
I think I’m going with the bread pudding solution for rest of the cake. And by the way, we have a lot of fun on facebook, if you haven’t like TVFGI yet — click HERE to join in on the conversation, I highlight my favorites from other sites, as well as great recipes from my archives.
Banana Walnut Bread with Nutmeg Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 cup well mashed banana, about 3 small to medium bananas
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp molasses
- 1 Tbsp dark cocoa powder, I used Hershey's Special Dark
- 1 Tbsp espresso powder, instant espresso
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
glaze
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- freshly grated nutmeg
- heavy cream
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Beat together the eggs, oil, sugar and mashed banana until smooth. Make sure to get out any lumps of sugar or banana.
- Beat in the molasses, espresso, cocoa powder, and the spices. Beat until thoroughly combined.
- Whisk the flours, salt and baking soda together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Fold in the walnuts.
- Turn into a well buttered or sprayed non-stick bundt pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it.
- Cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes before turned out of the pan.
- Make the glaze by mixing the sugar with enough cream to thin to a spreadable consistency. Add fresh grated nutmeg to taste.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake.
Our new favorite banana bread – the flavor is mysteriously complex and intriguing. I’ve made it probably half a dozen times over the past month or so, and anyone who tastes it comments on how delicious it is, then asks, “what IS it?” 🙂
Finely grind some walnuts in your coffee grinder. This will look like a coarse flour.
Generously butter your pan with butter or coconut oil.
Coat the buttered bundt pan with the ground walnuts.
Add your cake batter – bake – cool.
Your cake will fall out of the pan with no resistance?
This banana cake looks awesome – can’t wait to make it!
Thank you!!
This is a terrific holiday gift bread, but the name is somewhat misleading. I’ve decided to call it Spicy Walnut Bread with Nutmeg Glaze so no one is turned off when they don’t taste traditional banana bread.
With the exception of the walnuts, which I reduced to one cup, I followed the recipe. It makes three mini loaves (my pans measure 3 x 5.5″x 2″ inside rim). I tested it on friends and they loved it. The glaze makes it especially festive and really yummy. I have a convection oven and adjusted the cooking time to somewhere between 40-43 minutes. Also buttered and lightly floured my pans. To keep the bread moist and allow the glaze to set before wrapping or boxing, I put each loaf in a loose plastic bag, poofing it over the glazed top so it didn’t touch, and folded the unsealed edge under it. Don’t seal it tight. It kept air out and the glaze had a chance to harden . Once it really sets, you can wrap it. Wonderful with a hot cup of coffee or tea or spiced cider.
great spices! it’s a darker banana bread than i usually see and that makes it even more alluring!
Oooo this looks so rich and delicious! Love the idea of using cardamom in it 🙂 Nutmeg glaze sounds gorgeous. That stuck in the bundt – grab a spoon I say!
The slices you managed to resurrect from this banana bread look amazing, Sue. The colour is fantastic, and I love the idea of the nutmeg glaze.
PS: I have a fantasy B&B too 🙂
I love the idea of a nutmeg glaze to mix things up, I bet it smells amazing too!