Indulge in a slice of comfort with this Maple Pecan Banana Bread. It’s perfectly moist, subtly spiced, dotted with crunchy pecans, and finished with a silky maple icing with just a hint of salt to balance the sweetness. A cozy bake that’s ideal for fall mornings or afternoon treats.

Maple Pecan Banana Bread

Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread

A super moist loaf thanks to ripe bananas and buttermilk
Toasty pecans add satisfying crunch
Sweet and salty maple icing gives it a luxurious finish
A simple, crowd-pleasing recipe that’s not overly sweet

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread

1½ cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
¾ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Pinch of salt
⅓ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup softened unsalted butter
⅔ cup sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 large egg
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
½ cup buttermilk* (or substitute: 1 Tbsp lemon juice + milk to equal ½ cup)

For the Maple Icing

3 Tbsp unsalted butter
½ cup pure maple syrup
1¾ cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Pinch of salt to taste

Instructions

Step 1: Prep

Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Step 2: Dry Mix

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in chopped pecans.

Step 3: Wet Mix

In a separate bowl, cream softened butter with sugar until light. Add egg and stir. Mash bananas and mix into batter along with maple syrup and buttermilk.

Step 4: Combine & Bake

Gently fold dry ingredients into wet, mixing until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50–55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely (about 2 hours).

Step 5: Maple Icing

Melt butter and maple syrup over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in sifted confectioners’ sugar and salt. Let cool 3–4 minutes, then pour over fully cooled loaf. Allow 30 minutes for icing to set. Reheat lightly if needed before pouring.

Tips & Notes

Use softened—not melted—butter for better texture in the bread and icing.
The optional cinnamon adds warm flavor if desired.
Drizzle icing over a completely cooled loaf to avoid melting.

Storage

Wrap cooled bread and refrigerate; because of the icing, it’s best stored chilled.
For freezing, slice and seal individual portions in airtight bags—freeze up to 3 months.