Description
A moist espresso banana bread made with yogurt for a tender crumb and double coffee flavour, espresso powder in the batter, strong espresso glaze on top. Easy enough for a weekday breakfast, good enough to impress coffee lovers.
Ingredients
Espresso Banana Bread
- 2 cups (240 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder or instant coffee
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) plain yogurt (2% or full-fat)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) brewed coffee, cold
Espresso Glaze
- 1 cup (120 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons brewed espresso or strong coffee, cold
Instructions
Make the Banana Bread
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Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it hang over two opposite sides for easy lifting later.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
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In a medium bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth (a few lumps are fine). Stir in the yogurt and baking soda. The mixture will bubble a little — that’s normal.
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In a large bowl, beat the brown sugar and softened butter together until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the banana-yogurt mixture.
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Add half the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula. Pour in the cold coffee and mix briefly. Add the remaining dry ingredients and fold just until no flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix or you’ll end up with a tough loaf.
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Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
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Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out onto a cooling rack. Let it cool completely before glazing.
Make the Glaze
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In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and espresso until smooth. If it’s too thick to drizzle, add espresso a teaspoon at a time until it flows off your whisk in ribbons.
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Pour the glaze over the cooled loaf, letting it drip down the sides. Let it set for about 15 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- The baking soda mixed with yogurt creates a little lift and tang that keeps this loaf from being too heavy. Don’t skip that step or let it sit too long before mixing into the batter.
- If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, the bread will still work but won’t be as sweet or moist. Look for bananas with lots of brown spots.
- This keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to a week wrapped in plastic, or freeze slices for up to a month. The glaze might weep a little after thawing, but it still tastes just as good.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
