Banana bread can be easy to make and still have plenty of character. In this version, we pair very ripe bananas with our Peanut Spread. Some goes into the batter, while the rest creates a generous swirl before baking.
The finished loaf is soft and moist, with visible ribbons of peanut running through every slice. There is no need for a mixer or complicated technique: two bowls, a whisk and a few careful steps are all it takes.
Why does our Peanut Spread work so well in banana bread?
Our Peanut Spread combines 70% peanuts with orange blossom honey from Spain, vanilla caviar, cocoa butter, rapeseed oil, sunflower lecithin and a touch of fleur de sel. Its creamy texture blends smoothly into cake batter while remaining thick enough to form a distinct swirl.
The banana gives the crumb its fruitiness and moisture, while the peanuts add a deeper roasted note. We deliberately keep the rest of the ingredient list short so that both flavours remain clear.
Ingredients for one loaf tin
- 3 very ripe bananas, about 300g peeled
- 2 eggs
- 60g melted butter or neutral oil
- 160g plain wheat flour
- 7g baking powder
- 1 small pinch of salt
- 120g of our Peanut Spread
- 20g roughly chopped unsalted peanuts, optional
Choose bananas with well-speckled skins: they mash easily and bring a fuller banana flavour. If the oils in your spread have naturally separated, stir it in the jar with a clean, dry spoon before weighing it.
How to make peanut swirl banana bread
1. Prepare the tin and oven
Heat the oven to 170°C conventional. Line a loaf tin with baking paper or grease it thoroughly. This makes it easier to remove the loaf without handling it too much while it is still delicate and hot.
2. Mash the bananas
Mash the bananas with a fork. Leave a few small pieces if you prefer a more textured crumb. Add the eggs and the cooled melted butter, then whisk until evenly combined.
3. Add the dry ingredients
In a second bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add them to the wet mixture and fold with a spatula only until no dry flour remains. Overmixing at this stage can make the crumb heavier.
4. Fold in the first portion of spread
Add 70g of our Peanut Spread and make just a few folds with the spatula. The batter does not need to become one uniform colour; the first traces of peanut will help create the pattern inside.
5. Create the swirl
Spoon half the batter into the tin. Dot over half of the remaining 50g of spread. Cover with the rest of the batter, then finish with the remaining spread.
Draw two or three large figure-eight shapes through the batter with a thin knife. Stop early: too many turns will blend the layers and erase the swirl.
6. Bake and check
Scatter over the chopped peanuts, if using. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. The exact time depends on your oven and tin. Start checking at 45 minutes by inserting a thin knife into the centre, away from a pocket of spread; it should come out without raw batter.
If the top browns too quickly, place a loose sheet of baking paper over it while the centre finishes baking. Do not taste the raw batter. Leave the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack.
How do you keep the crumb light and moist?
Keep the banana quantity balanced
Three medium bananas are enough for this loaf. Adding considerably more also adds more moisture and may leave the centre dense even once the crust is well browned.
Mix as little as possible once the flour is added
Stop folding as soon as the dry patches disappear. The goal is to combine the batter, not to work it for a long time.
Cool before slicing
The crumb continues to settle after the loaf leaves the oven. Waiting until it has cooled makes cleaner slices and shows the peanut ribbons more clearly.
Three easy variations
Chocolate and peanut banana bread
Replace 15g of the flour with 15g unsweetened cocoa powder. The cocoa deepens the flavour and makes the swirl more visible.
Chocolate-chip version
Fold in a small handful of chocolate chips just before filling the tin. Keep the quantity modest so that banana and peanut remain the main flavours.
Make muffins instead
Divide the batter between muffin cases, filling each about three-quarters full, and add a small dot of spread on top. They will bake faster than a loaf, so begin checking the centres after 18 minutes.
Storage and allergens
Let the banana bread cool completely before placing it in a clean, airtight container. Put baking paper between the slices if you stack them. For longer storage, freeze individual slices and let them thaw in their wrapping to limit drying.
This recipe contains wheat, eggs and peanuts. Our spread contains peanuts and may contain traces of tree nuts. If you are baking for someone with an allergy or intolerance, also check the labels on the baking powder, butter or oil, and any toppings you add.
A simple loaf with a true peanut centre
The final swirl is what makes this recipe distinctive: a few spoonfuls of spread and two or three turns of a knife are enough. The banana remains clearly present, while ribbons of our Peanut Spread appear throughout every slice.
To make the recipe, discover our Peanut Spread. Follow the suggested swirl the first time, then adjust the size of the ribbons to suit your taste on your next bake.
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