This is NOT your grandma’s banana bread (Or your sister’s. Or neighbor’s. Or co-worker’s).
We’ve given banana bread a major upgrade with a swirl of tahini blended with maple syrup, ramping up the flavor considerably. But we didn’t stop there! We then topped the batter with sesame seeds, which provides the most delightful crunch! Serve this bread thickly sliced and enjoy!
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup sesame seeds (black, white or a combination)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour a 9” x 5” loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a small bowl combine the tahini and maple syrup until blended. Set aside.
In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer beat the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and add the eggs, bananas and vanilla. Beat again. Add the flour, baking soda and salt and beat until blended. Scrape half the batter into your prepared pan and use the back of a spoon or a small angled spatula to smooth it out. Pour half the tahini mixture over. Repeat with the remaining batter and tahini mixture, and use a thin knife to swirl. Top with the sesame seeds.
Bake for 55 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove from pan to cool completely.
