Cozy Fall Comfort: Spiced Banana Bread with a Maple Glaze! 🍂🍌

 

 As the leaves change and a crispness fills the air, there's nothing quite like the warm, inviting aroma of freshly baked banana bread wafting through your home. This isn't just any banana bread; it's a fall-inspired delight, brimming with comforting spices and topped with a luscious maple glaze that will make your taste buds sing!

This recipe is perfect for those overripe bananas sitting on your counter, transforming them into a moist, flavorful loaf that's ideal for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or even a simple dessert. It's easy to make and guaranteed to bring a little bit of fall magic into your day.

Here's what you'll need:

For the Banana Bread:

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves (optional, but adds wonderful warmth!)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 very ripe medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, but adds great crunch!)

For the Maple Glaze:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1-2 tablespoons milk or cream

Let's get baking!

1.     Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.

2.    Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves (if using).

3.    Cream Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, using an electric mixer or by hand, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.

4.    Combine! Add the mashed bananas to the wet ingredients and mix well. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, mixing until just combined. Don't overmix! If using, fold in the chopped nuts.

5.    Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with foil.

6.    Cool: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

While it's cooling, let's make the glaze!

1.     Mix Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Add milk or cream one tablespoon at a time, mixing until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency.

2.    Glaze & Enjoy! Once the banana bread is completely cool, drizzle the maple glaze generously over the top. Slice and serve!

This Spiced Banana Bread is pure fall comfort. It's wonderful with a cup of coffee or tea, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a special treat. Enjoy the delicious flavors of the season!