Banana Date Nut Bread ~ Perfect Comfort Food

LynneApril 3, 2011

A loaf of banana bread with nuts on top.

My Mom used to make Banana Bread when I was a kid from a recipe in her Betty Crocker Cookbook. It was dense and good, and we would top it with a spread made of cream cheese and crushed pineapple mixed together. Banana Bread is definitely a comfort food for me, which I have needed in my life lately for some reason. Maybe because winter seems to be going on and on, or I’m in the middle of a law suit about my roof. Who knows. Today I needed Banana Bread. Slathered with cold butter.

This recipe I got from a friend about 30 years ago. She brought it to a Pot Luck where we worked and after just one bite, I knew I had to have the recipe. It was moist with a soft crumb texture that melted in my mouth, not dense like the banana bread I had grown up with. I was so lucky she shared this recipe with me and it has been my go-to recipe ever since. Sorry Mom. The dates were not in the original recipe, but were added by me to jazz it up a little. The dates give it an almost liquor-like flavor. However, if you are not a date person, leave them out, or add a half cup of chocolate chips. Be creative. But make this for sure. You’ll be really glad you did.

A plate of food with meat, avocado and oranges.

Banana Date Nut Bread

3 large very ripe bananas (black skin is good)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
½ cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are good)
½ cup dates, 3/8-inch pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom of 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.

2. Chop the nuts and dates. Set aside.

3. Smash peeled bananas on a plate with a fork until no lumps remain.

4. In a large bowl, stir together the wet ingredients thoroughly with a fork. Add the sugar and mix in.

5. Add the Bisquick and stir until moist. Beat vigorously for 1 minute until no lumps remain.

6. Mix in the nuts and dates until evenly distributed. Pour into pan.

7. Bake for 55 – 65 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes

8. Remove from pan and place top side up on a wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before slicing.

9. Store, wrapped, at room temperature for up to 4 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days.

Note: You can leave out the nuts and/or dates, or add ½ cup chocolate chips if you prefer.

10 Comments

Lana on 04/03/2011 at 10:46 pm

I love banana bread and dates, but nobody else in my house will eat more then one piece:( This bread of yours looks so moist and soft! I always have black bananas in the freezer eager to be used in something delicious:)

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Louise on 04/04/2011 at 12:57 am

seriously cream cheese with pineapple? oh my goodness that sounds so delicious. i’m the kinda gal who eats carrot cake just for the cream cheese frosting. dates? hmmm what a creative twist.

happy sunday

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Diane {createdbydiane.blogspot.com} on 04/05/2011 at 3:20 am

looks delicious.
Looking forward to seeing you again at campblogaway. We met at last years camp 🙂

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Andrea @ Fork Fingers Chopsticks on 04/05/2011 at 3:28 am

You’re going to think I’m nuts, but I’ve never used Bisquick. I just Googled it and found a conversion that said “One cup of Bisquick can be substituted by a mix of one cup of flour, 1½ teaspoons of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of oil or melted butter.” To convert this to 2 1/2 cups, I’ll need my calculator. . . It would be a heck of a lot easier to just to buy the box.

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Rebekah on 04/05/2011 at 7:11 pm

My mother in law makes a mean banana bread. Definitely one of my favorite comfort foods.

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sippitysup on 04/05/2011 at 10:53 pm

Bring this to camp! GREG

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Monet on 04/06/2011 at 4:02 am

Banana bread is comfort food for me too. And the Lord knows I need more of that. Thanks for sharing this with me tonight. Food and cooking has brought me much comfort during these hard days. Your blog is a burst of brightness. I hope you have a happy and safe Wednesday. Hug the ones you love!

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Grapefruit on 04/06/2011 at 2:18 pm

Bananas & Dates – what’s not to love? Looks wonderfully moist and as always I just love your photos.

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Magic of Spice on 04/08/2011 at 10:19 pm

I will have to agree with you here, wonderful comfort food…looks so moist and delicious.

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la mode on 02/23/2012 at 2:42 am

sublime cette tenue!

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Welcome to Cook & Be Merry

A woman with glasses smiling for the camera. Hello! My name is Lynne Hemer, and I am a woman obsessed with food and cooking, in search of new, unusual, exotic, and sublime ingredients and recipes. I love reading cookbooks, taking cooking classes, going to restaurants, photographing food, and blogging about it all! I hope you enjoy my website as much as I enjoyed creating it.