Why is it that when you buy bananas they always ripen at exactly the same time and always way faster than they can be eaten. I can’t stand eating an over ripe banana. They get so sickly sweet. But, that makes them a perfect replacement for sugar in baking!
By now I am sure many of you have a go to banana bread recipe. This is mine. It’s an amalgamation of a few banana bread recipes I’ve tried. But as always, I go easy on the sugar and adjusted some of the ingredients to get it to just the way I like it.
Banana bread is delicious as it is. But this is taking it to the next level. This version is denser than a cake, more like a soft chewy brownie. Hence, the name: Banana Bread Brownie. I also keep the sugar at a minimum in this recipe, so the sweetness mostly comes from the bananas.
And as it so happens, the less sweet banana bread compliments the much sweeter brown butter glaze on top.
The icing on the cake (pun fully intended) is totally the brown butter glaze. The glaze has plenty of sugar, so I would skip it if you are trying to keep your banana bread on the healthier side. Browning the butter for this glaze, gives it an almost nutty flavour that works really well with the sweetness of the icing and banana bread. This glaze is so addictive, I highly recommend adding this to your next batch of banana bread or cake.
I love this stuff so much I will sometimes purposely buy more bananas than we could possibly eat so that I have some leftovers to make these banana bread brownies.
Also, don’t forget, you can totally freeze mashed bananas and keep them for a rainy day when you do want to bake up a batch. They will turn brown in the freezer, but they still taste just fine and work perfectly for baking. Just don’t forget to label how many bananas are in the package you are freezing so it is easy to measure when you pull it out to bake with.
Enjoy! And please share your fave banana bread recipe in the comments below so I can give them a try too!
Banana Bread Brownie with Brown Butter Glaze
Ingredients
For the Banana Bread Brownies:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup greek yogurt (can substitute sour cream)
- 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
- 2 large eggs
- 3-4 ripe bananas (mashed)*
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional – sub for chocolate chips if you like)
For the Brown Butter Glaze:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp milk
Instructions
For the Banana Bread Brownies:
- Keep the butter and eggs out to come to room temperature while you mash the bananas and set out the other ingredients.
- Heat oven to 375*F (109*C).
- Grease and line a 9×9 inch square baking pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl, cream 1/2 cup butter with 1/4 cup sugar till light and fluffy.
- Add 1 cup yogurt, and 2 eggs and whisk till smooth and combined.
- Blend in 3-4 mashed bananas, 2 tsp vanilla extract.
- With a spatula, fold in the 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 3/4 tsp salt till just combined.
- Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts, if using.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. It will be golden brown on top and a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- While the banana bread bakes, make the glaze.
For the Brown Butter Glaze:
- Heat a 1/4 cup butter in saucepan over medium high heat.
- Once it comes to a boil, keep an eye on it. Swirling constantly. Once you note the butter turn from light yellow to golden brown, and it starts to get nice and fragrant, take it off the heat (so it doesn't burn).
- Mix the browned butter with 2 cups icing sugar, 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and 3 tbsp milk.
- Mix till the glaze is nice and smooth. It will be like a thick honey consistency.
Glaze the Banana Bread Brownies
- Once done cooking, allow the banana bread to cool 15-20 mins till it is still warm, but cool enough to handle. Plate the banana bread and spread the glaze over top while it is still warm, so it will be easier to spread.
- Cut into small squares and serve warm or at room temperature.
