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Moist Pumpkin Banana Bread with Toasted Pecans

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This moist pumpkin banana bread with toasted pecans is the perfect fall treat. The combination of pumpkin and banana creates a tender crumb, while toasted pecans add a delightful crunch.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (195g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (113g), melted and slightly cooled
  • ¾ cup packed brown sugar (150g)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree (245g)
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium bananas)
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans (85g), toasted and cooled
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar (for topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center of the oven. While it’s heating, toast your pecans. Spread the chopped pecans on a baking sheet and toast for 5-7 minutes, stirring halfway through. You’ll know they’re done when they smell nutty and look slightly darker. Set them aside to cool completely.
  2. Prepare your loaf pan. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides. This makes it super easy to lift the bread out later. If you’re not using parchment, grease the pan thoroughly with butter and dust with flour.
  3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Make sure everything is evenly distributed. Set aside.
  4. Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. It should look like wet sand. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Add the pumpkin and banana. Add the pumpkin puree and mashed bananas to the wet mixture. Whisk until everything is fully combined. The batter will look a little thin at this point—that’s normal.
  6. Fold in the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold everything together. Mix just until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few lumps are okay. Overmixing will make the bread tough.
  7. Fold in the toasted pecans. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the toasted pecans for the top. Gently fold the rest into the batter until evenly distributed.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Use the spatula to spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved pecans on top, followed by the 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. This creates a beautiful, crunchy topping.
  9. Bake for 55-65 minutes. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly (around the 40-minute mark), tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
  10. Cool the bread. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and transfer it to a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before slicing—about 1-2 hours. I know it’s hard to wait, but slicing too early will make the bread crumble.

Notes

For the best texture, use canned pumpkin puree from a trusted brand like Libby’s. If using fresh pumpkin puree, drain any excess liquid. For the bananas, the riper the better. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, place them in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black, then let cool before mashing. To make gluten-free, swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend. For a dairy-free version, use melted coconut oil or plant-based butter. The bread tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.

Nutrition

Keywords: pumpkin banana bread, moist pumpkin bread, banana bread with pecans, fall baking, quick bread

Find it online: https://twinkletaste.com/moist-pumpkin-banana-bread-with-toasted-pecans/