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Moist Banana Pumpkin Bread with Easy Walnut Streusel

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This Moist Banana Pumpkin Bread with Walnut Streusel combines ripe bananas and pumpkin puree for an incredibly tender, flavorful loaf topped with a crunchy, buttery walnut streusel. It’s the perfect fall bake that’s easy enough for weekdays and special enough for holiday brunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup (240g) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large or 3 medium)
  • ¾ cup (180g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar (for streusel)
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for streusel)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for streusel)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt (for streusel)
  • ¼ cup (56g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes (for streusel)
  • ½ cup (60g) chopped walnuts (for streusel)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides. Lightly grease the parchment with cooking spray or butter.
  2. Make the streusel first: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized butter pieces. Stir in the chopped walnuts. Refrigerate the streusel while you make the batter.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and slightly glossy.
  6. Add the mashed bananas and pumpkin puree to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just combined. The batter may look slightly curdled, which is normal.
  7. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, folding gently with a rubber spatula. Mix just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Tap the pan gently on the counter to release any air bubbles.
  9. Remove the streusel from the fridge and sprinkle it evenly over the top of the batter. Do not press it in.
  10. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the streusel is browning too quickly, tent the loaf loosely with aluminum foil after about 40 minutes.
  11. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift the loaf out and transfer it to the rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

For the bananas, the riper the better. Those black-spotted, almost-too-soft bananas are perfect. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, microwave them for 30 seconds to soften. For the pumpkin puree, use Libby’s for consistent results; if it seems watery, pat it dry with a paper towel before measuring. Toast the walnuts lightly for extra flavor. The bread is done when the internal temperature reaches 200-205°F (93-96°C) on an instant-read thermometer. Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana pumpkin bread, walnut streusel, fall baking, moist banana bread, pumpkin bread recipe, easy bread recipe

Find it online: https://sofiaspice.com/moist-banana-pumpkin-bread-with-easy-walnut-streusel/