Banana Bread with Almond Croissant
This banana bread with almond croissant is a mix of two of the best things ever: soft, moist banana bread and the sweet, nutty flavors of an almond croissant. It has a lot of butter in it and is topped with frangipane with almonds that gets crispy as it bakes.
It’s great for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack with coffee. Also, it’s a great way to use up ripe bananas and make them look nicer. Let’s get to work in the kitchen!
The things you need
To make the banana bread:
- Three ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup (1 stick) of unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar, packed
- Two big eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups of flour for all purposes
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- ½ tsp of baking powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
To make the almond topping (frangipane):
- 1/2 cup of softened, unsalted butter
- ½ cup of sugar in powder form
- One big egg
- ¾ cup of almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- ¼ cup of sliced almonds to put on top
How to Make Banana Bread with Almond Croissants
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Smash the bananas
Use a big mixing bowl to mash the ripe bananas until they are smooth with a few small lumps. - Combine the wet ingredients
Put the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in the mashed bananas. Whisk until everything is smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients
In a different bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. - Combine the wet and dry ingredients
Use a spatula to slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix until everything is mixed together. - Make the Frangipane Almond Topping
In another bowl, mix together the softened butter, powdered sugar, almond flour, egg, and almond extract until the mixture is smooth. - Put the bread together
Put the batter for the banana bread into a loaf pan that has been greased. Evenly spread the almond topping over the top and add sliced almonds on top. - Bake
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until a toothpick comes out clean. - Let it cool and then sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
After 10 minutes, take the bread out of the pan and put it on a wire rack. Before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar on top.
⭐ Pro Tips
- Use bananas that are very ripe. The more brown spots they have, the sweeter and moister they will be.
- Don’t mix the batter too much; just stir until everything is mixed together.
- To add more crunch and flavor, lightly toast sliced almonds before baking.
- Let it cool before cutting it. This lets the flavors settle and keeps the bread from falling apart.
- At the end, add powdered sugar. For that real almond croissant look, dust it on after baking.
🔄 Changes and Substitutions
- No extract from almonds? Use vanilla instead, but it won’t taste as strong.
- No dairy? Use coconut oil or another dairy-free oil instead of butter.
- Is it gluten-free? Blend gluten-free flour in a 1:1 ratio.
- Want more crunch? Put more sliced almonds or even some chopped almonds into the batter.
⏳ Tips for Getting Ready Ahead of Time
- Make the batter ahead of time and put it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Bake, cool, and slice up the food, then freeze it for later. It’s a quick and easy snack.
Leftovers and storage
- Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.
- You can keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
- You can freeze it in slices for up to three months and heat it up when you need to!
💛 Time to bake!
This bread is rich, nutty, and full of banana flavor. It’s like a fancy bakery treat, but you made it yourself! Let me know how it turned out if you try it. Have fun baking! 🍌🥐✨