Try this Whole Wheat Banana Nut Bread recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 286.969 g
- Cholesterol 2115 mg
- Fat 141.6511898 g
- Fiber 37.6664995953068 g
- Protein 99.7029 g
- Saturated Fat 23.35297166127 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1219g)
- Sodium 1978.68625 mg
- Sugar 249.302500404693 g
- Trans Fat 12.144201118366 g
- Calories 2693 calories
Step-by-step
- Sift dry ingredients together.
- Cream oil and honey in large bowl.
- Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Stir in bananas.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with hot water, mixing well after each addition.
- Fold in pecans.
- Pour into a greased 5x9-inch loaf pan.
- Bake at 325F for 55 to 60 minutes.
- Invert onto wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Using honey instead of granulated sugar fundamentally alters quick bread chemistry because liquid sweeteners introduce excess moisture and lower the temperature at which browning occurs. Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour, requiring careful hydration control to prevent a dense crumb. Honey contains roughly twenty percent water by weight, meaning substituting it cup-for-cup for sugar demands a reduction in other added liquids or an increase in dry components. The dense endosperm and bran in whole wheat flour cut through gluten strands, producing a sturdier structure that benefits from the tenderizing fats found in vegetable oil and chopped pecans. Sifting the whole wheat flour alongside baking soda and salt distributes the leavening agent evenly, preventing bitter pockets of sodium bicarbonate in the finished loaf.
Managing Moisture and Dense Flours
Incorporating hot water at the final mixing stage reactivates starches and loosens the thick whole wheat batter, allowing the carbon dioxide produced by the baking soda to expand the loaf properly in the oven. Bake this loaf at 325 degrees Fahrenheit rather than the standard 350 degrees; lower heat prevents the exterior honey from burning before the center finishes setting. Cool the baked loaf completely on a wire rack before attempting to slice it, allowing the internal starches to retro-grade and firm up. Wrapping the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap preserves its moisture for up to four days at room temperature.
- Dense centers usually indicate over-mixing the batter after adding the flour, which develops excess gluten.
- Premature crust browning points to an oven running hotter than the dial indicates; verify temperatures with an internal oven thermometer.
- Dry textures often stem from inaccurate measuring of whole wheat flour; fluff the flour with a fork before spooning it into the measuring cup.
