Banana Bread with Espresso Glaze

Oohhhhhh look at that warm, sweet, gooey glaze!

I’m not really into icings or glazes, but this espresso glaze takes something as simple as banana bread to a whole other level.  This banana bread is fairly straightforward, albeit with a little topping of crunchy turbinado sugar and a hint of cinnamon and espresso powder.  But add that glaze and you have a bona fide hit on your hands.

What’s great about the recipe is that it can feel really special, or just be an everyday sort of thing.  I’m not hugely into banana bread, but I am hugely into this.  Seriously, what are you waiting for?  It can be in the oven in 15 minutes.  Go.  Go now.

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl or (if you’re lazy like me, the bowl of your stand mixer), whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until smooth.  Add in the milk and coconut oil, whisking until combined.  Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract until just mixed.

Slowly stir in your flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until just combined.

 

Pour batter in the greased loaf pan and top with the turbinado sugar.  I concentrated mine in a thick strip down the middle, but you do you.

Bake for 75 to 85 minutes, or until the center is set.  If the top starts to get too brown before the inside is done, tent the bread with aluminum foil. Once a toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes.

Once it’s cool enough, gently turn the bread out on a plate or cutting board and let it cool completely (or mostly) before glazing.

To make the glaze, just whisk together the ingredients until a smooth, drippy glaze forms. If the mixture is too thin, you can thicken it by adding a little more powdered sugar.  If it seems too thick, you can add a tiny bit of milk or more espresso, whisking until it’s the right consistency.

Pour it over the banana bread and let it set for 30 minutes before slicing.  If you can wait that long.  Which I couldn’t.

Banana Bread with Espresso Glaze

• 1 2/3 cups of white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup of loosely-packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of milk
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
• 4 bananas, mashed (note, I used 2 big ones)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Espresso Glaze

• 1/2 cup of powdered sugar (you may need more to thicken it up, but you only need a half cup’s worth of glaze)
• 1 ounce of freshly brewed espresso
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 325 F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl or (if you’re lazy like me, the bowl of your stand mixer), whisk together the eggs and brown sugar until smooth.  Add in the milk and coconut oil, whisking until combined.  Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract until just mixed.

Slowly stir in your flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until just combined.  Pour batter in the greased loaf pan and top with the turbinado sugar.  I concentrated mine in a thick strip down the middle, but you do you.

Bake for 75 to 85 minutes, or until the center is set.  If the top starts to get too brown before the inside is done, tent the bread with aluminum foil. Once a toothpick comes out clean, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes.  Then gently turn the bread out on a plate or cutting board and let it cool completely (or mostly) before glazing.

To make the glaze, just whisk together the ingredients until a smooth, drippy glaze forms. If the mixture is too thin, you can thicken it by adding a little more powdered sugar.  If it seems too thick, you can add a tiny bit of milk or more espresso, whisking until it’s the right consistency.  Pour it over the banana bread and let it set for 30 minutes before slicing.  If you can wait that long.  Which I couldn’t.

Original recipe from How Sweet Eats