Go Back
–+ servings
Brown butter sweet potato banana bread sliced on parchment paper with glaze dripping down the sides.
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Brown Butter Sweet Potato Banana Bread

This brown butter sweet potato banana bread is nutty, moist, and warm with sweet potato pie spice. Roasted sweet potato purée and browned butter give it deep caramel flavor, and a simple spiced glaze goes over the top. One loaf pan, no mixer needed.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: brown butter banana bread, sweet potato banana bread
Servings: 10 slices

Ingredients

For the Bread

  • 2 large ripe bananas about 1 cup mashed
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup sweet potato purée 245g
  • 1/3 cup browned unsalted butter 74mL
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5mL
  • 1 teaspoon sweet potato pie seasoning
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 160g
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 136g
  • 1/2 cup cake flour 60g
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda 6g
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 7g
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet potato pie seasoning

For the Sweet Potato Pie Seasoning

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

For the Glaze

  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar 53g
  • 1/2 teaspoon sweet potato pie seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 3mL
  • 2 tablespoon heavy cream 30mL

Instructions

For the Sweet Potato Purée

  • Roast the sweet potatoes. Prick 3 medium sweet potatoes a few times with a fork, set them on a sheet pan, and roast at 400°F for about an hour, until they are completely soft all the way through.
  • Blend the purée. Scoop the flesh out of the skins and blend until completely smooth and silky — no strings, no lumps. Measure out 1 cup (245g) and let it cool. This can be done up to 4 days ahead.

For the Bread

  • Brown the butter. Melt the butter in a light-colored skillet or saucepan over medium heat, swirling often. It will foam, then quiet down, and the milk solids on the bottom will turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5 to 8 minutes. Pour it into a bowl, browned bits and all, and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
  • Prep the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9"x5" loaf pan with butter and parchment paper.
  • Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas. Add the brown butter, room temperature eggs, sweet potato purée, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon of the sweet potato pie seasoning. Mix until well combined.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cake flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon sweet potato pie seasoning.
  • Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined (don't over-mix!).
  • Pour all of the batter into the loaf pan and smooth the top.

Baking

  • Bake at 350°F for about 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a couple of crumbs on it. The baking time will vary depending on your oven so keep an eye on it! If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil.
  • Let the bread cool in its pan for 10 to 15 minutes before carefully taking it out and placing it onto a cooling rack.

For the Glaze

  • In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, sweet potato pie seasoning, vanilla extract, and heavy cream until smooth.
  • Let the loaf cool for at least 30 minutes so the glaze doesn't run straight off, then drizzle the glaze over the top and enjoy (best served slightly warm)!

Notes

  • Sweet potato purée: Roast whole sweet potatoes at 400°F for about an hour, until they are completely soft all the way through, then scoop out the flesh and blend until completely smooth and silky — no strings, no lumps. Use a blender or food processor, not a masher or a fork. This is a make-ahead step, so the hour of roasting is not counted in the prep time. Roasting concentrates the sugar and drives off water. If you boil them instead, drain very well and pat dry, or the loaf can turn out dense.
  • Brown butter: Browning cooks the water out of butter, so it shrinks. Start with 6 tablespoons (85g) and measure out 1/3 cup (74mL) once it is browned.
  • Sweet potato pie seasoning: Mix the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves together first. You will use 1 teaspoon in the wet ingredients, 1/2 teaspoon in the dry, and 1/2 teaspoon in the glaze.
  • Room temperature eggs: Cold eggs hitting warm brown butter can seize it. Set them out while the butter cools.
  • Don't over-mix: Stir until the last streaks of flour disappear. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes the loaf tough instead of tender.
  • Storage: Keep wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 3 months.