There is something special about a simple loaf of homemade banana bread. It’s the kind of recipe that makes a house feel like home — a warm kitchen, a cup of coffee, and a few overripe bananas turned into something delicious instead of wasted.
At Elli + Pine, we love returning to simple, traditional ways of making food. Using what we have, choosing quality ingredients, and taking the time to make things from scratch are small practices that connect us back to the way food was made for generations.
This banana bread recipe combines the richness of butter and traditional lard with the deep caramel flavor of coconut sugar and the sweetness of ripe bananas. The result is a tender, flavorful loaf with a soft crumb and just the right amount of sweetness.
Why Use Lard in Banana Bread?
Lard has been used in kitchens for generations, and for good reason. It adds tenderness and richness to baked goods while keeping them soft and moist. We love using rendered lard from pasture-raised pork as a traditional cooking fat in recipes like pie crusts, biscuits, and this banana bread.
If you’ve never baked with lard before, banana bread is a great place to start.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (57 g) butter, softened
- 51 g lard, softened
- 100 g coconut sugar
- 150 g cane sugar
- 4 g vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 3 ripe bananas, smashed (about 1 cup)
- 60 g milk
- 240 g flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½–1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, lard, coconut sugar, and cane sugar until well combined.
- Add the vanilla and beaten eggs, mixing until incorporated.
- Stir in the mashed bananas and milk.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make your banana bread dense.
- Fold in chopped pecans if desired.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool before slicing (if you can wait that long!).
Tips for the Best Banana Bread
- The riper the bananas, the better. Bananas with plenty of brown spots will give you the sweetest flavor.
- For the best texture, avoid overmixing once the flour is added.
- Toast the pecans before adding them for an extra depth of flavor.
- This bread freezes well, making it easy to save a loaf for later.
A Simple Recipe Worth Keeping
Homemade banana bread is a reminder that some of the best things don’t need to be complicated. A few pantry staples, a handful of ripe bananas, and traditional ingredients can create something your family will ask for again and again.
At Elli + Pine, we’re learning to embrace the slower, simpler rhythms of farm life — growing, making, and cooking more of what we can from scratch.