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
-
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.
-
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, espresso powder, and salt. Set aside.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
-
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.
-
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