Description
This banana loaf sings of salted caramel and espresso — tender, moist, and finished with a buttery brown-sugar glaze. Easy to make and impossible to resist.
Ingredients
Scale
For the loaf:
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup neutral oil (canola or vegetable)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream (or swap with plain Greek yogurt)
- 1 tablespoon instant espresso granules
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 medium or 3 small)
- ¼ cup thick caramel sauce (use a dense caramel, not thin sundae sauce)
For the brown-sugar glaze:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons packed light brown sugar (¼ cup + 2 tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prep a 9×5-inch loaf pan by greasing and flouring it, or line it with a parchment sling and spray the paper so the loaf lifts out easily.
- In a large bowl whisk together the egg, brown sugar, oil, granulated sugar, sour cream, espresso granules, and vanilla until smooth and uniform.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Fold just until the dry bits disappear — avoid overmixing.
- Stir in the mashed bananas until evenly distributed.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Spoon the caramel sauce in an even line down the center of the batter. Using a butter knife, gently swirl the caramel into the top inch of batter — leave a small gap near the pan edges so the caramel won’t burn or make the loaf stick.
- Bake 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). If the edges or top brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil around the 30–35 minute mark.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack while you make the glaze.
- For the glaze: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the brown sugar and vanilla until dissolved. Lower the heat and let it simmer very gently for about 3 minutes — it should barely bubble. Remove from heat and let cool for ~5 minutes so it’s warm, not piping hot.
- Drizzle the glaze over the loaf (while still in the pan or after unmolding). Allow the glaze to set for roughly 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Use true instant espresso granules (not ground coffee) so the flavor dissolves cleanly.
- If your bananas are extra moist, baking may take a bit longer — trust the toothpick test.
- Keep the loaf airtight at room temperature up to 1 week, or freeze wrapped for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 293cal
- Sugar: 27g
- Sodium: 246mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 39mg