Walnut Banana Bread with Molasses

Walnut Banana Bread with Molasses is tender and soft with sweet banana, fancy molasses and warming cinnamon, all topped with a crunchy walnut streusel. You’ll want a thick slice to enjoy with your next cup of tea or coffee!

This post is sponsored by Crosby’s Molasses. While I received monetary compensation, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Crumb Top Baking possible.

I’m so happy to share this recipe today as Crosby’s Molasses is a product I grew up with. In Newfoundland, it’s a staple for baked beans, brown bread, jam tarts, gingerbread and toutons (fried dough). So I was delighted when Crosby’s reached out to collaborate on their fall campaign.

Crosby’s Molasses is a family-owned Canadian company located in New Brunswick, and they’ve been importing molasses for 140 years. Their varieties of molasses include fancy, blackstrap and cooking molasses. The banana walnut bread I’m sharing today is adapted from Crosby’s whole wheat molasses banana bread recipe and it’s made with fancy molasses.

What is fancy molasses?

Fancy molasses is pure sugarcane juice that has been condensed, inverted and purified. It’s a natural sweetener, with no additives and it’s comparable to maple syrup and honey.

In Canada, fancy molasses is the highest grade of molasses available. It actually has a standard of identity and the designation ‘fancy’ is a term unique to Canada. Only pure sugarcane juice inverted into a syrup can be classified as fancy molasses. 

If you love cooking and baking with molasses, I highly recommend you check out Crosby’s Comforts of Home e-cookbook. It’s newly released for fall and all the recipes included in it are made with fancy molasses.

Why you’ll love this banana walnut bread

• It’s tender and moist, and lasts for a number of days just stored on your counter.

• The taste of molasses is not overpowering, but the subtle warmth and sweetness pairs well with the banana flavour.

• It’s dairy-free made without butter, milk or sour cream.

• You don’t need any special equipment to make this recipe, just a few bowls and a whisk or a spoon.

• The walnut streusel topping adds another layer of sweet molasses flavour and the crunchy walnuts complement the bread’s soft and tender texture.

Details on a few ingredients

Molasses: This recipe is made using fancy molasses, which adds a warm, sweet and deep flavour to the banana bread. It hasn’t been tested with blackstrap or cooking molasses.

Bananas: I always use very overripe bananas in banana bread as they mash easily and add extra sweetness to the bread. Be sure to mash your bananas well so you don’t end up with any lumps of banana in your bread.

Walnuts: Raw walnut pieces are added to the bread batter and the streusel topping for crunch and texture. If you don’t have walnut pieces, just use walnut halves and break them into pieces. I don’t recommend using chopped walnuts as they’re a bit small and wouldn’t add the same texture.

Flour: This recipe uses a mix of whole wheat and white flour. I tested the recipe with all whole wheat flour and it was a bit too dense. I haven’t tested the recipe with all white flour, but in my experience with other banana recipes, if you use all white it may turn out under-baked. For the best results, I suggest sticking with the combination of flours.

Coconut sugar: The bread and streusel topping include coconut sugar, which has a caramel-like taste, similar to brown sugar. If you don’t have coconut sugar, you can substitute brown sugar.

How to make banana bread with walnuts and molasses

While there are a number of ingredients that go into this bread, I promise it’s not a difficult banana bread to make. Start with the streusel topping, then set it aside while you make the banana bread batter.

Make the streusel topping

• Add all the streusel ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and use your hands to mix together until well combined. The mixture will be wet, sticky and clumpy.

Make the bread

• Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar.

• Step 2: Stir in the molasses.

• Step 3: Add in the eggs, one at a time.

• Step 4: Stir in the soured almond milk, vanilla and mashed banana.

• Step 5: In a separate bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

• Step 6: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.

• Step 7: Pour the batter into a loaf pan lined with overhanging parchment paper.

• Step 8: Spoon the streusel evenly over top of the bread and bake on 350F for 50-60 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

How do you store banana bread with a crunchy streusel topping? This bread keeps best at room temperature, stored in an airtight container. 

How long will this molasses banana bread last? If stored properly, it should last for 3-4 days. (Perhaps even longer, but we never have any left!)

Can this banana bread be frozen? Yes, I’ve frozen this loaf with and without the streusel topping. Just let it cool completely before wrapping tightly in plastic wrap and placing in the freezer. It should last for up to 3 months. Let it defrost at room temperature for a few hours before slicing and enjoying. You can also slice it before freezing and store the slices in a freezer-safe container in between layers of wax paper.

Additional recipe tips and substitutions

• The recipe makes a lot of batter so make sure you use a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Anything smaller and the batter will overflow when baking.

• If you’re using a dark loaf pan, the bottom and sides of your bread will brown more quickly than if you’re using a lighter coloured loaf pan. I find lining a pan with parchment paper helps minimize over browning.

• Be careful not to over bake the bread as the walnut streusel topping may start to burn.

• This bread slices best when it’s completely cooled. If you try to slice it while it’s still warm, the streusel topping make break apart.

• With respect to slicing this banana bread, I find a bread knife or large serrated knife works best.

• If you’re pressed for time, or prefer this banana bread without the streusel topping, you can just leave it off. The baking time will remain the same.

Other banana recipes you might enjoy

• Spelt Flour Banana Bread

• Vegan Banana Snack Cake

• Peanut Butter Banana Protein Donuts

• Healthy Banana Nut Muffins

If you make this walnut banana bread with molasses, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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Walnut Banana Bread with Molasses

★★★★★ 5 from 14 reviews

• Author: Leanne
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 10 slices 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: Canadian

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Description

Walnut Banana Bread with Molasses is tender and soft with sweet banana, fancy molasses and warming cinnamon, all topped with a crunchy walnut streusel. You’ll want a thick slice to enjoy with your next cup of tea or coffee!

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Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

For the streusel topping:

• 1/2 cup raw walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup flour (whole wheat or white)
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons virgin, cold pressed coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons Crosby’s Fancy Molasses

For the bread:

• 3 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/3 cup Crosby’s Fancy Molasses
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup raw walnut pieces

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Instructions

Prepare the streusel topping:

1. Add all the streusel ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and use your hands to mix together until well combined. The mixture will be wet, sticky and clumpy.

Prepare the bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with overhanging parchment paper.
2. Combine the almond milk and vinegar in a small bowl and let it sour while you start making the bread.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the oil and sugar. Add in the molasses, and then the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the soured milk, vanilla and mashed banana.
4. In a separate large bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spoon the streusel evenly over top of the bread.
7. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.
8. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Notes

1. The recipe makes a lot of batter so make sure you use a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Anything smaller and the batter will overflow when baking.
2. This recipe is made with fancy molasses. It hasn’t been tested with blackstrap or cooking molasses.
3. Ensure your bananas are mashed well so you don’t get any lumps of banana in your bread.
4. Be careful not to over bake the bread as the walnut streusel topping may start to burn.
5. If you’re pressed for time, or prefer this banana bread without the streusel topping, you can just leave it off. The baking time will remain the same.
6. Be sure to check out the detailed sections above the recipe card for additional advice and suggestions for making this recipe.

This recipe is adapted from Crosby’s Whole Wheat Molasses Banana Bread recipe.

Keywords: molasses banana bread, banana bread with walnuts