Want to bake a simple treat that captures the essence of spring? Welcome to lavender banana bread with cream cheese icing. We’ve infused the classic recipe with the delicate floral notes of lavender, creating a delightful twist. The fragrant lavender perfectly complements the sweetness of the ripe bananas, resulting in a flavor that’s both familiar and delicious!
This was the best banana bread I ever baked. It was so good that I made it twice in one week while my sweeties were home for spring break. I now keep buying an extra bunch of bananas to make it again. Actually, I’m baking some right now! Each slice was tender, moist, buttery, sweet, and absolutely perfect with the cream cheese icing. Optional, and yet worth the extra step.
Ingredients:
Lavender Banana bread:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (213 grams)
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 2 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (200 grams)
- 2/3 cup butter (150 grams, melted and cooled)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender buds
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cream cheese icing:
- 1/2 cup cup butter, softened (1 stick or 113g)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened (brick-style or 226g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar (500g)
INSTRUCTIONS
Lavender Banana Bread:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C)
- Prepare a 8 by 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and cooking spray
- Melt your butter while you create a lavender sugar by grinding your dried lavender buds together with your granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. You can do this in small batches in a mortar and pestle or all at once in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Mash bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher. Add in your lavender sugar, cooled melted butter and eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake for one hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I like to turn mine at the 45-minute mark.
- Let bread cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Once cooled, remove from loaf pan and prepare your icing. (optional)
Cream Cheese Icing:
- Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you’re using an electric mixer) and beat until creamy.
- Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and mix with your mixer setting turned on low until completely combined.
- Use an icing spatula to frost your banana bread with the cream cheese icing and serve immediately. Also good served chilled right from the fridge within five days.
Notes about the recipe:
- Store in the fridge covered for up to five days.
- Uniced cooled lavender bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days or frozen up to 6 months. If you want to freeze, make icing and freeze seperately. Do not add icing before freezing, and add it once thawed.
- Use very ripe, heavily speckled bananas in this recipe.
- If you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, check for doneness at the one-hour mark.
Lavender Banana Bread With Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
Lavender Banana Bread
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 213 grams
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 2 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas about 5 bananas
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar 200 grams
- 2/3 cup butter 150 grams, melted and cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons dried lavender buds
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cream Cheese Icing
- 1/2 cup cup butter softened (1 stick or 113g)
- 8 oz cream cheese softened brick-style or 226g
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar 500g
Instructions
- Lavender Banana Bread
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C)
- Prepare a 8 by 4 inch loaf pan with parchment paper and cooking spray
- Melt your butter while you create a lavender sugar by grinding your dried lavender buds together with your granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract. You can do this in small batches in a mortar and pestle or all at once in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl.
- Mash bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher. Add in your lavender sugar, cooled melted butter and eggs and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
- Bake for one hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I like to turn mine at the 45-minute mark.
- Let bread cool in pan on wire rack for 30 minutes.
- Once cooled, remove from loaf pan and prepare your icing. (optional)
- Cream Cheese Icing
- Combine butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if you’re using an electric mixer) and beat until creamy.
- Add vanilla extract and salt and stir well to combine.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and mix with your mixer setting turned on low until completely combined.
- Use an icing spatula to frost your banana bread with the cream cheese icing and serve immediately. Also good served chilled right from the fridge within five days.
Megan says
Yummy! Made it tonight for breakfast tomorrow for my crew. Came together quickly and easily. Canβt wait for morning!
sarah says
Thank you so much Megan! xo