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This Cardamom Banana Bread takes everyday banana bread to the next level thanks to the addition of aromatic cardamom (a natural flavor pairing with banana) and the caramel-y notes of brown butter. Moist in texture with a craggy, crisp topping, It's a memorable banana bread recipe you'll return to again and again.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Cardamom Banana Bread
- ⏰ Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🔥 Bake Time: 65 minutes
- 👥 Yield: 1 9-inch loaf
- 👩🍳 Expert tip: Using freshly ground cardamom rather than pre-ground makes all the difference in this recipe
- ⭐️ What makes it special: The combination of bananas, cardamom and brown butter yields a tender, fragrant, crave-worthy loaf of banana bread
Jump to:
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- ♥️ It comes together quickly and easily - 15 minutes of hands on time
- ♥️ Cozy, satisfying slices of brown-buttery, cardamom-infused banana bread
- ♥️ The crumb is tender but with a crisp crust thanks to a little turbinado sugar sprinkled over the top before baking
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If you love cardamom as much as I do, be sure to check out my recipes for Swedish Cardamom Buns, Cardamom Bread (Finnish Pulla) and Swedish Cardamom Cake next!
Ingredients
- Rye flour - I grind my own using the Ankarsrum grain mill attachment. The rustic, earthly flavor of the rye flour is a perfect match for the cardamom, brown butter and banana. Feel free to just add an additional ½ cup of all-purpose flour in place of the rye if you prefer.
- Whole cardamom seeds - while you can use pre-ground cardamom in this recipe, the flavor of freshly ground is incomparable and I highly recommend using it here.
See recipe card for exact amounts and detailed instructions.
Substitutions/Variations
- Substitute all-purpose, whole wheat or spelt flour for the ½ cup of rye flour.
- Substitute pre-ground cardamom for the freshly ground.
- Use regular granulated sugar on top of the loaf in place of the turbinado sugar.
Variations
- Chocolate Chip - Fold a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter prior to baking. White chocolate chips are good, too!
- Walnut - Fold a cup of toasted walnuts into the batter for a nutty variation on this recipe.
Equipment
To grind the rye flour for this recipe, I'm using my Ankarsrum Assistent Original paired with the Grain Mill attachment. Grinding your own flour preserves natural oils and flavor compounds that start to fade once flour is milled and stored. It's a small step that makes a big difference in both flavor and nutrition, and the Ankarsrum Grain Mill makes it effortless.
How to Make Cardamom Banana Bread
- Grind the rye flour if you choose to do it yourself.
- Whisk the all purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a large skillet and heat over medium, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color. Immediately transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
- Add the cardamom and mashed bananas and whisk until combined. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract followed by the eggs, one t a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together with a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into a buttered 9 x 5 loaf pan and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake for 60-75 minutes or until the loaf registers 200 degrees F with an instant read thermometer and/or a tester inserted in the middle of the bread comes out clean.
Expert Tips
Take care not to over mix the banana bread batter when combining the wet and dry ingredients, but at the same time, be sure to do enough folding of the batter than no pockets of flour remain. It's a delicate balance!
Recipe FAQs
I like to buy decorticated cardamom seeds that have already been removed from the pod but not ground. You can find them at well-stocked grocery stores such as Whole Foods and Natural Grocers. They are also available online on Amazon and from spice specialty stores such as Penzeys. You can also find them at many Indian or Middle Eastern grocery stores.
I like to use a mortar and pestle to grind mine, but you can also use an electric spice grinder or a pepper mill that you dedicate just to cardamom. You can even put the seeds in a plastic bag and roll over them a few times with a rolling pin in a pinch! If you are starting with cardamom seeds that are still inside their pods, be sure to remove the outer pod first before grinding the seeds for the recipe.
I like to wrap the outside of this bread in foil and keep the top open when storing it at room temperature. This preserves the deliciously crisp topping! It will keep for 3 days like this at room temperature. You can also wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. See the next FAQ for freezing instructions.
This banana bread freezes beautifully - let it cool completely and then wrap in a layer of plastic wrap and then foil. If freezing individual slices, slice the cooled bread and wrap each piece separately in plastic wrap and transfer to a freezer bag or other freezer safe container. Frozen banana bread will keep for about 3 months.
What to Serve with Cardamom Banana Bread
This aromatic loaf is delicious on it's own, but it's even better when served warm with salted butter slathered on top. For a Nordic-inspired twist, try it with a spoonful of lingonberry jam in addition to the butter.
For breakfast, consider serving it with a dollop of Greek yogurt or Icelandic skyr and fresh berries. Don't forget a cup of strong coffee to go alongside.
You can even give dress this Cardamom Banana Bread up as a dessert paired with Homemade Cardamom Ice Cream and Salted Caramel Sauce. Yum!
More Nordic-Inspired Quick Breads and Muffins
Looking for more quick breads and muffin recipes? Give these a try:
If you tried this Cardamom Banana Bread recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Cardamom Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup rye flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds freshly ground
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons turbinado or raw sugar for the topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Set aside.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, rye flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Place the butter in a large skillet (preferably not nonstick or cast iron so that you can more easily see the color change) and heat over medium heat, swirling the pan frequently. Once the butter has melted, continue to cook over medium low, swirling the pan frequently, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is golden brown in color. Transfer brown butter to a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Add the cardamom and mashed bananas and whisk until homogenous in texture. Add the brown sugar and vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula until the batter just comes together, taking care not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until loaf registers 200 degrees F on an instant read thermometer or a tester inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean. Cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.
Kathryn & Allan says
Greetings from 2 ASI fans. We tried this banana bread last evening and think it's wonderful. But to be honest, everything you have posted worked wonderfully. Special thanks for including metric measures. They make things so much easier! We made the bread with chocolate chips and probably always do the recipe that way. For those who are not cardamom fans, don't worry. The flavor is present but not excessive.
Kristi says
Hello to you both!
I'm glad you enjoyed the banana bread and love that you tried the chocolate chip variation. This is our "house banana bread" now - I've got some in the freezer all sliced and ready for fika!
Kristi
Lesley says
Really, really lovely. And so moist!
Kristi says
Thanks for your comment, Lesley! I'm so glad you enjoyed the banana bread!
Kristi
Kristi says
This is the best banana bread I've made, hands down. So moist and fragrant with the cardamom, and the touch of rye flour and brown butter really take it to the next level!