This cinnamon sugar banana pecan bread is a healthy treat topped with smashed raspberry butter.

A few years ago, I traveled for work a lot.

Diamond member at Hilton, elite member at National and platinum level on Delta kind of a lot.

I’d be excited at the beginning of each trip but by the time I was headed to the airport to fly home, I’d start fantasizing my arrival.

In my head it went something like this:

Pull into the driveway and see Ulysses and Ginger waiting for me with the garage door already open.

I’d kiss Ulysses hello, he’d grab my stuff from the car and bring it inside for me while I pet a maniacal Weimaraner whose stub tail would wag so fast it’d look like it was about to fall off.

We’d go inside, the house would be just the way I left it, sink clean, dishes away, stove without any grease splatters.

Depending on the time, dinner would be made or even just takeout ready to eat (hey, I’m not picky) and we’d talk about our respective time apart.

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Pecan Bread with Raspberry Butter
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The reality of what would happen however would play out more like this:

Pull into the driveway, see the light on upstairs in Ulysses’ office, pray he looked up from his video game playing to see my headlights coming up the driveway and come downstairs to help me unload the car.

Open the garage door, bring in my purse and work bag and immediately get pummeled by a maniacal Weimaraner (at least I could count on Ginger) while I start yelling and flashing lights in the house to let my husband who has headphones that rival airline pilots’ on and hasn’t heard me come in know I’m home.

Go back out to the car, schlep my suitcase in, walk into the kitchen and find mail scattered about, a dirty sink, a pile of dishes that are “drying” so big that half the counter is covered and no milk, eggs or bananas left in the house.

I sigh as he finally makes his way downstairs and try to remember that feeling of homesickness I had a few hours earlier in the airport to keep myself from flipping out on my husband whom I haven’t seen in 3 or 4 days.

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Pecan Bread with Raspberry Butter

Fast forward a few years and I’m driving home from a fun filled weekend of wine, food and friends at the Martha’s Vineyard wine festival last night and my mind starts doing the same thing as if it suffered from a mild case of travel dementia and couldn’t remember the logical outcome.

I walked into the house to be greeted by the same maniacal Weimaraner, a sink with a dirty coffee pot, a drain full of food particles, mail scattered about the counter, a greasy stove top and the baking pan that cooked this bread 5 days earlier still in the drying area (because after 5 years of living here, my husband still has no idea which cabinet bakeware goes in).

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Pecan Bread with Raspberry Butter

At least there are 2 bananas on the counter and enough milk and eggs for breakfast.

This cinnamon sugar banana bread however, not a slice to be found.

Try these other banana bread recipes too:

Banana Zucchini Muffins

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Pumpkin Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Almond Coconut Banana Bread

Gingerbread Banana Bread

4.50 from 2 votes

Cinnamon Sugar Banana Pecan Bread with Raspberry Butter

Servings: 8 servings
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour
This cinnamon sugar banana pecan bread is a healthy treat topped with smashed raspberry butter.

Ingredients 

For the Bread

  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
  • 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon coconut sugar, divided
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt

For the Butter

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup raspberries

Instructions 

For the Bread

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a loaf pan with baking spray.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
  • Add the pecans, 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon and 1 tablespoons of the coconut sugar and toss to combine.
  • Toast the mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, remaining cinnamon and remaining coconut sugar in a large bowl.
  • Whisk together the remaining wet ingredients in a small bowl.
  • Add the wet to the dry and mix until mostly incorporated, fold in the pecan mixture and mix again until fully incorporated.
  • Transfer the batter to the loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack.

For the Butter

  • Gently mash the raspberries into the softened butter in a small bowl. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to set and take out a few minutes before serving so it will spread easier.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 292kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 6gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 62mgSodium: 292mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American
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Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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18 Comments

  1. I just made this for the second time. I have never had much luck with banana bread, but this is so delicious and bakes perfectly every time. The house smells so rich with the pecan/cinnamon smell on this dreary, rainy day. The taste is not so overpowering of banana. The bread itself is full of all good things!

  2. Update: it cooled down this weekend and I just made this. Was delightful! Worked well with gluten free flour mix and a little xanthan gum. I didn’t have pecans, but the cashews I used were delicious!

    1. I’m glad ONE PERSON bothered to actually make and review the recipe instead of just giving an unfounded opinion based on NOTHING. I’m so tired of people thinking readers of reviews care what they THINK a recipe “sounds like” or “looks like” without even making it when we just want to KNOW how the recipe ACTUALLY comes out. I want REAL REVIEWS, not worthless opinions!

      1. Yes, I get tired of that too. The comments aren’t helpful to readers looking for insight on how the recipe worked for them. I got some pecans and will be making this again. It’s so delicious! (I still have the raspberry butter in my freezer) The toasting of the nuts plays a huge part in the flavor punch. A step not to be skipped.

  3. loved your story – your word pictures and actual pictures are great! I had to Google your doggie’s breed – LoL (before I saw her pics on your blog) She’s adorable!!
    Looking forward to making this bread – I have fresh raspberries right at this moment, but since its too hot to bake, I’m going to make the butter ahead of time and freeze it for later (in quad amounts!!) : )

  4. This recipe looks amazing! I especially must try the Raspberry butter. I think the kids would love this on our :)