This super easy banana pecan bread recipe is ideal as a simple yet tasty bread, loaded with delicious ripe bananas, tasty pecans and can be enjoyed at breakfast, tea time or as an after-dinner treat.

To make this banana pecan bread recipe you’ll need the following ingredients: flour, ripe bananas, sugar, pecans, eggs, shortening, milk, baking powder and baking soda.  

When I think of a banana pecan bread, I think of a moist baked family favorite that needs to be part of every household. Baked to perfection, it’s crunchy on the outside but soft and moist on the inside, so prepare yourself for recurring requests from the family to make a batch of freshly baked bread on a frequent basis!

I also love recipes which call for the addition of fruit that is starting to over-ripen and ordinarily would go to waste if intended to be eaten as a stand-alone food item. In this case, grab those ripe or bruised bananas off your kitchen counter- they will be perfect for this recipe and in no way need to be tossed in the bin.

Did you know that overripe bananas add moisture and more flavor to bread recipes? Not to mention the incredible texture they also provide. It’s true. Many muffin and cake recipes call for overripe bananas as a natural way to increase the moisture and to intensify the banana flavor without having to add any artificial flavors! They are easier to mash (so that they incorporate into a batter easily), are sweeter (as more starch has converted to sugar) and are more aromatic.

But enough about my love for overripe bananas in recipes! Here is what you need in order to get started on this delicious banana pecan bread:

Helpful Equipment:

• Stand or hand mixer
• Two 9×5 bread pans

Banana Bread with Pecans Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 4 bananas (the ripper the better!)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 6 tsp milk
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda

Banana Bread with Pecans Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a two 9×5 baking dishes/ loaf pans with non-stick spray. Set aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, shortening, eggs, and milk.
3. Peel the bananas and add to the mixture.
4. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and flour just until combined.
5. Chop pecans and add to mixing bowl and blend until just combined.
6. Divide batter between the two baking dishes/ loaf pans and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick or butter knife inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool on wire racks.

Because this recipe is a family favorite and very easy to make, it’s a great way to include the kids in the baking process and teach them the basic principles of baking, food preparation, health and safety in the kitchen as well as adhering to proper hygiene when handling food. Plus, it’s great fun having little hands in the kitchen help me out.

If you want to learn more about the many benefits of baking with kids then head on over to my blog post which will give you great insight and get you excited to involve your kids in the process. 

Quality time with your kids plus a great banana pecan bread to enjoy by the end of it…it’s a win all round!

This banana pecan bread is also great for freezing which means that you could easily make the two loaves today and freeze one for easy consumption the following week…or maybe even within the next few days…hey, no one is judging! It’s also great to have a spare banana pecan bread on standby in case your week gets too busy or your bananas are not yet ripe enough for a new recipe batch.

I know that many people make the standard banana bread. The only difference in this recipe is the addition of the pecan nuts but they definitely do add a lovely crunchy and nutty texture to easily upgrade what would otherwise be a normal banana bread loaf. If you don’t like pecan nuts, walnuts are a great alternative to add to the ingredients for a nut bread recipe.

Overall, this is a super easy, high in flavor, banana bread packed with moist bananas and crunchy nuts that you can you make in one afternoon.

Two other magical baked goods to consider in your baking future is the traditional carrots and oatmeal muffins and apple cinnamon whole wheat muffins. If, after this post, you are feeling inspired to get your baking apron on, go on over to these two recipes which will make for irresistible breakfast muffins or snacks.

Easy Banana Bread with Pecans

Yield: 2 loaves

Easy Banana Bread with Pecans

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

This super easy banana pecan bread recipe is ideal as a simple yet tasty bread, loaded with delicious ripe bananas, tasty pecans and can be enjoyed at breakfast, tea time or as an after-dinner treat.

Print

Ingredients

• 4 cups flour
• 4 bananas (the ripper the better!)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 eggs
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 6 tsp milk
• 2 tsp of baking powder
• 1 tsp of baking soda

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray a two 9x5 baking dishes/ loaf pans with non-stick spray. Set aside.


2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sugar, shortening, eggs, and milk.


3. Peel the bananas and add to the mixture.


4. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and flour just until combined.


5. Chop pecans and add to mixing bowl and blend until just combined.


6. Divide batter between the two baking dishes/ loaf pans and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick or butter knife inserted comes out clean.


7. Cool on wire racks.