# Spice up my Banana Bread! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 23, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287 "2014-10-23T20:56:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/1 "2014-10-23T20:56:40Z")
I have a really nice Banana Bread recipe. It always come together beautifully, uses 2 cups of crushed bananas, and works great without a mixer. Oh, and it’s a big hit, everyone loves it. ( I do add pecans and chocolate chips, as well.) Thing is there are absolutely no spices in it. Strange, right? I didn’t notice at first, it was yummy, all was right with the world. But once I noticed, now I kinda can’t help thinking it would be improved with some spices! Did a little internet research only managing to hopelessly confuse myself! So now I’m back to just wanting to make my banana bread somewhat more savoury. Do you add spices to yours? What spices? How much? (My recipe makes a single loaf, if that matters!) ---
**Author:** ![kbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4491bb/32.png) [@kbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kbear)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/2 "2014-10-23T21:09:10Z")
I put cinnamon (1/2 tsp), nutmeg (pinch) and cloves (pinch) in mine. It’s not savoury but the flavours seem to go well with banana. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/3 "2014-10-23T21:33:55Z")
If you are adding chocolate chips, I would skip the nutmeg and just go with cinnamon and cloves. I’ve also had some with a bit of orange peel added, and that was good. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/4 "2014-10-23T22:26:17Z")
My favorite is Jacked-up banana bread from Smitten Kitchen. Has cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, vanilla and bourbon. When I made it this morning I added a half cup of crumbled bacon. So good! ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2014, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/5 "2014-10-23T22:48:37Z")
My recipe uses cinnamon and vanilla. You can’t go wrong with cinnamon and vanilla. ---
**Author:** ![brainstall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@brainstall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brainstall)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/6 "2014-10-24T01:20:17Z")
Allspice (pimento) - just a pinch. Hard to describe, but sweet and spicy and similar to clove and nutmeg. ---
**Author:** ![Rosapants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@Rosapants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rosapants)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/7 "2014-10-24T07:05:30Z")
I generally add cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to my cake-like recipes. Some people swear by allspice, but I think it’s easy to go overboard with it. I LOVE adding cayenne pepper to my brownies, but it’s not for everyone. I add orange/coconut flavoring to my yellow cake mixes and it gives them a nice kick. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/8 "2014-10-24T09:17:22Z")
The best loaf of banana bread I ever baked had a fresh peach added to the batter. IIRC, I reduced the liquid in the recipe by about a quarter cup. And of course, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are _de rigueur_. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/9 "2014-10-24T11:53:19Z")
I have a killer banana chocolate chip bread too that initially had no spices in it. I went the allspice/cinnamon/ground ginger route with a touch (say 1/4 tsp) vanilla. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/10 "2014-10-24T15:31:13Z")
Sometimes I add almond flavor instead of vanilla. It’s a nice subtle difference. I don’t add much spice to mine either…just a touch of cinnamon if I can get to it easily. (My spices are…somewhat disorganized.) I don’t even add chocolate chips! Just pecans or almonds. Mmmmm. Now I want to bake. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/11 "2014-10-24T15:42:35Z")
I’m not a baker and I’ll eat and appreciate any banana bread made for me. But something about adding raisins simmered in spiced rum makes me want to learn to like baking. ---
**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/12 "2014-10-24T18:53:28Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > … ginger … … another vote for. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/13 "2014-10-24T19:31:53Z")
Thanks for all the recommendations! As it happens I love ginger, so that’s definitely going in! Cinnamon seems so obvious too, and orange zest sounds kind of interesting! I think I’ll start with those three first, but I’m sure to try them all eventually! Thank you again! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spice-up-my-banana-bread/702287/14 "2014-10-24T20:15:53Z")
> [@kbear](#): > > I put cinnamon (1/2 tsp), nutmeg (pinch) and cloves (pinch) in mine. It’s not savoury but the flavours seem to go well with banana. Yeah, I was thinking in this range of flavors, myself. Those all go well with banana. Or allspice (as mentioned before.) If you like cardamom, that would seem to go well, too, and looking online, it does appear to be a thing.