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If you love banana bread and coffee as much as I do, you will love Nigella’s Italian Breakfast Banana Bread. It’s from her wonderful book Nigellissima. I’ve been making this recipe for a long time – ever since I first bought the book in fact!
Although my favourite of Nigella cookbooks is still ‘How to Be a Domestic Goddess’, both for its writing style and its recipes, ‘Nigellissima’, Nigella’s take on Italian cooking, definitely has a place of honour on my bookshelf.
Nigella’s Italian Banana Breakfast Bread from Nigellissima
Nigellissima is full of wonderful recipes from snacks and starters to easy and satisfying main courses. The Saffron Orzotto is a gorgeous side that makes barley something really special and the Fettuccini with Mushrooms, Marsala and Mascarpone is just amazing. Of course there are plenty of desserts too, including a Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake that is nothing short of divine. There’s also an Amaretto Semifreddo that has become one of my favourite make-ahead desserts.
Nigella’s Italian Breakfast Banana Bread is definitely in my top ten favourite recipes from this book. As Nigella points out, Banana Bread really isn’t Italian at all, but as she says, “I don’t claim these recipes are authentically Italian, but authentic they are nonetheless.” They are definitely authentically delicious!
Looking for more recipes to use up over-ripe bananas?
Not Just Another Banana Bread Recipe
I have several of my own tried and tested banana bread recipes that I have been making for years, but Nigella’s espresso-spiked version is irresistible. It takes less than ten minutes to throw together.
The only ingredient you might not have is the instant espresso powder but it’s well worth buying. (Ordinary instant coffee just isn’t the same.) It gave the banana bread an amazingly heady scent while it was baking and really added to the flavour. Plus you can make yourself a quick cup of espresso while you are baking! I’ve also found an espresso powder flavouring that would work too, but I’d use less than the 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder Nigella calls for, perhaps just 1 to 1½.
Nigella recommends serving this with mascarpone or chocolate spread – ideas I can’t possibly discourage. I also like it spread with butter, but frankly, most of the time, I eat it plain. It’s addictively delicious.
Nigella’s Italian Breakfast Banana Bread really does improve with age, just as Nigella says in her book. You can never have too many recipes for banana bread, and I urge you to add this one to your repertoire.
You can also find the recipe in Nigellissima, a book you will be happy to have on your bookshelf, no matter how big your cookbook collection!
Nigella’s Italian Breakfast Banana Bread – Printable Recipe
Italian Breakfast Banana Bread
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup flavourless vegetable oil plus some for greasing (I used mild olive oil)
- 3 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- a pinch of salt
- 2 eggs lightly beaten
- ⅔ cup granulated or caster sugar
- 1⅓ cups plain flour plain flour is also known as all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 teaspoons instant espresso powder or 1 to 2 teaspoons coffee flavouring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (about 165°C).
- Grease a one pound loaf tin.
- Mix the vanilla and salt into the mashed bananas.
- Beat in the oil.
- Now beat in the lightly beaten eggs and sugar.
- Mix the flour, baking soda and espresso powder together and beat them into the batter.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until slightly coming away from the sides of the tin. A skewer inserted in the cake should come out virtually clean.
- Cool in the tin for 20 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- This bread tastes even better if allowed to ‘rest’ overnight in a covered container. It really does improve with age.
did you make this recipe?
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More Banana Bread and Cake Recipes
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A new twist on an old favorite. I love it and I’d definitely try it!
It really is, Rosey! Thank you 🙂
Oh yum!! Certainly sounds like a delicious way to enjoy breakfast.
It’s one of my favourite breakfast treats, Ashley 🙂
I love a good banana bread recipe. This one sounds delicious!
Thank you, Jenny 🙂
I haven’t made banana bread in quite a while. I should try using this recipe!
I hope you enjoy it, Ellen 🙂
I love homemade bread of any kind, but banana is my favorite – it’s so moist. Those raspberries would be good warmed up and on top of bread – yum
Thank you, Kim 🙂 I love banana bread too!
Did think of espresso in the banana bread. Great idea. Thanks for sharing on Let’s Get Real Friday.
Thank you, Karen 🙂
I’ve never made banana bread with espresso in it. This sounds and looks really good!
Thank you, Jess. It really does taste lovely!
I love banana bread, and this looks great. In fact, I have some bananas on the counter right now just asking to be made into bread! yum!
Thank you, Debi! I hope you enjoy it 🙂 Let me know what you think!
This looks delicious. I really like the addition of the espresso.
Thank you, Peter 🙂
I love collecting/reading cookbooks and Nigella’s Domestic Goddess is on my list! Can’t wait to get that one!
I love collecting and reading cookbooks too, Debra 🙂 I am sure you will enjoy How to Be a Domestic Goddess!
I’m loving the Italian twist on this. Love banana bread.
Thank you, Janette 🙂
This banana bread looks so soft and moist. Love the addition of espresso powder in this bread. Yum!
Thank you, Divya 🙂
Can you provide a measurement for the amount of banana?
I’m so sorry, Wendelah, I’ve never actually measured. I always just use 3 medium bananas. Of course, I know the actual measurement might vary a little here and there as not all medium bananas are the same size. There’s enough flexibility in the recipe though, that just to use 3 has always worked. Once in a while I will use 1 large and 2 small bananas for example as that kind of works out to 3 medium ones. I hope this helps a bit.
April, what a lovely (and delicious) comfort food treat! Have a marvelous week!
Thank you so much, Linda. I do love Nigella’s recipes!
Hi April. I’d be honoured if you would share this with everyone over at Food on Friday: February. Cheers from Carole’s Chatter
Thank you so much, Carole!
I love banana bread and it doesn’t matter where it originates from! Count me in.
Me too, Abbe! I’ve yet to meet a banana bread I didn’t like 😉
This looks delicious. I love the addition of the expresso. I can’t wait to try it. I’m definitely pinning.
Thank you so much, Donna, and thank you for pinning too 🙂
Oh this looks delicious! I would love you to share this with Smell Good Sunday https://jaytriedandtrue.blogspot.com/2018/02/smell-good-sunday-53.html
Thank you so much, Jay! I’m on my way over now 🙂
Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Come Back Soon,
Miz Helen
Thank you so much, Miz Helen! I hope you are having a great week too 🙂
I have been viewing lots of recipes with espresso powder lately, I will have to find where I can buy it. Your banana bread looks delicious!!!I dont know how you have time to bake with all your wonderful travels.
Thanks for stopping by OMHGWW this week to share.
Wishing you a lovely week!
Thank you so much, Karren! It can be hard to fit the baking in…I tend to do a lot all at once which people seem to like 😉 I can buy espresso powder in the coffee aisle here, near the instant coffee. However I haven’t checked in the US or Canada. I’m going to California next week so I will have a look (although I know things vary state to state). The other option would be espresso flavouring – or even coffee flavouring I suppose. The flavour wouldn’t be as pronounced and the cake would be a lighter colour but it would still be good. I hope you have a lovely week too, Karren!
This sounds amazing!! PINNED!
I would love for you to share this with my Facebook Group for recipes, crafts, tips, and tricks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/pluckyrecipescraftstips/
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
Thank you so much, Jess, and thank you for the invitation to share. I’ve just done it now 🙂
I love banana bread and could just try a slice of this right now 🙂 Thanks so much for stopping by the linky party #TheWeeklyLinkUp
Thank you, Claire!
Your awesome post was featured this week at Full Plate Thursday,457. Thanks so much for sharing it with us and hope you will share with again real soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much for the feature, Miz Helen! That’s so kind of you!
Added a handful of sultanas and some chopped pecans to this – lovely recipe and a good ‘adult’ banana bread. Does taste better the next day too – made at the weekend, popped in ‘fridge and took slices for a lunchtime treat every day the following week. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Liz. Thank you for letting me know. I love the idea of adding the sultanas and chopped pecans. That sounds delicious!
“It looks”… “It sounds”… “I should”… “Pinned!”
Only one person made this recipe? And they changed it up. Gosh darn it. I read comments for tips since I’m not a super experienced baker. Thanks for letting me vent.
I use instant espresso in chocolate pecan pie, chocolate cake and oatmeal cookies. It’s great. The brand I like is Medaglia d’Oro.
Not to sound like the others, lol, but I am going to make this recipe — and I will report back for other bakers like me looking for tips! 🙂
TL
It’s a very straight forward recipe, Thelma Louise, so I’m sure you will be fine. I’ve had a lot of feedback on my Facebook page and on Pinterest from people who have made it and according to them it’s a keeper. I’d love to know how you get on with it, please do pop back and let me know! 🙂
Made this yesterday to use up the very ripe bananas lingering in the fridge! It was served to the small group of singers I was performing with as part of a light, pre-concert tea and went down very well. I added some spices (from your Spiced Banana Nutloaf recipe) as I didn’t have any espresso coffee for flavouring!
Thank you!
I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Hilary! Thank you for letting me know, and also for sharing about the spices from the Spiced Banana Nutloaf recipe working well in it. 🙂
I love that espresso was incorporated into a banana bread recipe. This is delicious! I added chocolate chips because why not. Great midmorning snack to boast that energy level.
Chocolate chips are always a good idea! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Gaile.