Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread

Cinnamon Crumb Banana Bread - made May 30, 2015 from Little Bits of Baking, Crafting and Life

I’ve mentioned before that I don’t try out a lot of different recipes for banana bread. I have this one from my college undergrad days and my family and friends like it so much and ask for it all the time that they give the side eye to anything that isn’t my go-to recipe. Even when I give them the entire plethora of recipes from my blog that I could make, when I ask them what they want me to bake, I get the same answer “banana bread”. But after making double batches of it last month for my cousin’s visit, my sister’s visit, and my parents, let’s be honest – I’m sick of making it. This is why I can never work in a bakery. I don’t have the patience to make the same thing over and over again, day in and day out. Heck, I can’t even make the same banana bread once a month.

Topping before baking

So to use up some overripe bananas from the last time I made my go-to recipe, I tried out this new recipe for banana bread. Not only was it a recipe I’d never tried before but it also had an added component of a crumb topping. I adore crumb toppings; they’re sanctioned sugar additions to make a baked good even better.

Topping after baking

I’m used to crumb toppings having brown sugar for the streusel part but this had confectioners’ sugar instead so I was a little unsure how that was going to turn out. But my reservations were unfounded as it actually turned out well. Really well. The crumb topping crisped up nicely and made a perfect contrast to the quick bread itself. In fact, I liked the topping so much, I think I’ll have to use it again next time I make a quick bread. The banana bread itself had a nice soft crumb but was still dense enough to qualify as a quick bread. It isn’t as light and “cakey” as my go-to recipe but still had a good crumb and I enjoyed it. This is best served the day it’s made or no later than the day after as the moistness from the bananas, while good for the bread part, had a tendency to also moisten and soften the crumb topping so you lose the crispness after awhile.

I tested this version of banana bread out on my parents. They acknowledged that it was “good” but, in classic parental fashion, my mom followed up with “next time, make your other recipe”. Sigh. No toppling Goliath from that perch.

1 egg

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 overripe bananas, mashed
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl of a mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. 
3. Add the butter and beat until smooth and the butter is fully incorporated. Beat in the buttermilk and bananas.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet until all the flour is incorporated. Pour into prepared pan.
5. Make the crumb topping by combining the powdered sugar, flour, cinnamon salt and melted butter. Using your hands, crumble the mixture over the batter in the pan. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.