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A close up of banana pecan bread on a platter cut open with a few slices falling away.
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5 from 6 votes

Banana Pecan Bread with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

The most insanely delicious banana pecan bread infused with pure maple syrup and toasted pecans. This recipe is easy to make for the best snack you can keep on hand for days.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack, Snacking Cake
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 373kcal
Author: Sasha Hooper

Ingredients

For the frosting:

  • 5 tablespoons cream cheese, cold (see notes) 75g
  • 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 35g
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar icing sugar, 175g
  • 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
  • teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Lightly grease and line an 8 ½ x 4 ½" loaf pan with parchment paper or a loaf pan liner.
  • Spread the pecans out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5-8 minutes until fragrant. Set aside to cool completely.
    1 cup pecans
  • Add ½ cup of the pecans to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground - but take care that you don’t blitz them into butter! Roughly chop the remaining pecans.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
    ½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature, ⅓ cup soft brown sugar
  • Next, beat in the eggs one at a time until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the maple syrup and vanilla and continue beating until combined and smooth. Mix in the bananas until combined.
    2 large eggs, ½ cup pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 medium or 2 large bananas, mashed
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the finely ground pecans, flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
    1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently stir in until just combined. Fold in the chopped pecans.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-65 minutes. Start testing at 50 minutes - you want a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the thickest part of the loaf to come out clean. If it’s not ready, return to the oven and continue to check in 5 minute intervals. Leave to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • Whilst the banana bread is cooling, make the frosting. Beat together the cream cheese and butter until combined. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and salt and continue to beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides if needed.
    5 tablespoons cream cheese, cold (see notes), 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup, ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Once cool, frost the top of the cake with the cream cheese frosting. If desired, top with chopped pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup. Makes 12 slices.

Notes

  • Nutritional information is for a slice of banana bread with frosting.
  • Bake in the lower half of your oven to ensure the bread doesn't brown too quickly. Start checking for doneness after 50 minutes.
  • Don't over blitz the pecans, just pulse them until fine. You don't want pecan butter.
  • Only frost the banana bread once it has completely cooled.
  • If you live in the UK and will be using cream cheese from a tub (like Philadelphia) make sure it's cold when you make the frosting. If you live elsewhere and are able to get hold of block cream cheese, make sure it's room temperature. You might also find that you need to use less powdered sugar. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice | Calories: 373kcal | Carbohydrates: 53.3g | Protein: 4.6g | Fat: 17.4g | Saturated Fat: 6.9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6.8g | Cholesterol: 57.4mg | Sodium: 383.4mg | Potassium: 224.9mg | Fiber: 2.2g | Sugar: 33.9g | Vitamin A: 97.8IU | Vitamin C: 2.7mg | Calcium: 44.9mg | Iron: 1.4mg