Classic banana bread with crumble topping

"There’s something timeless about banana bread. Me personally? I've never met anyone who said they don't appreciate a good banana bread baking fresh from the oven. At Unicakery, we teach recipes like this and so much more in our workshops and courses," said pastry chef Naomi Anderson of Unicakery.

Anderson shares an elevated take on the classic loaf, topped with a buttery cinnamon crumble for extra crunch.

Banana bread with crumble

Ingredients

For the banana bread:

Yield 20 muffins or one 9x5" loaf pan

½ cup melted butter or oil

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract or essence

3 medium ripe bananas, mashed

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

For the crumble topping:

½ cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp white/granulated sugar

4 tbsp melted butter

½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Pinch of salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mashed bananas. Add oil or melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla, mixing until smooth.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt and cinnamon. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined; do not overmix.

For the crumble, in a small bowl, melt butter in microwave or on a stovetop and cool for 5 minutes. Combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.

Mix all ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Pour the banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Important notes about banana bread

The best banana bread uses very ripe bananas spotted or fully brown skin gives the most sweetness and moisture.

Mix just until dry ingredients are incorporated for a tender loaf.

Try nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit for more flavour.

Times may vary based on ovens. Always use the toothpick test for doneness.

Store at room temperature for 2-3 days, in the fridge for up to a week, or freeze for longer.

Wrap well to prevent drying out.

For muffins or mini loaves: Reduce bake time to 20-25 minutes.

Naomi Anderson is the founder of Unicakery, a baking studio and workshop space in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. With over 12 years of professional pastry experience, Anderson has built Unicakery into a hub for speciality cakes, desserts, and hands-on culinary education. Today, she continues to inspire through community-driven classes, mentorship, and creative desserts.