Spiced Dulce de Leche Banana Bread Recipe – Sweet Dessert Loaf Idea
This spiced dulce de leche banana bread is a decadent twist on the classic. Infused with warm cinnamon and nutmeg, swirled with rich dulce de leche, and baked to golden perfection, it’s moist, flavorful, and irresistibly sweet. Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or as a comforting dessert loaf to share with family and friends!
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk & spatula
- Loaf pan (9x5 inch)
- Measuring cups & spoons
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp cardamom
- Pinch of cloves
- ½ cup dulce de leche (slightly warmed for swirling)
Instructions
- Prep oven & pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9x5 loaf pan.
- Mash bananas: In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth.
- Mix wet ingredients: Add eggs, melted butter, sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- Mix dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and spices.
- Combine: Gently fold dry mixture into wet until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Layer dulce de leche: Pour half the batter into pan. Add spoonfuls of dulce de leche, swirl lightly. Add remaining batter and repeat swirl.
- Bake: Bake 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean (except for caramel pockets).
- Cool: Rest in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Slice after cooling.
Notes
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for best flavor.
- Spice balance: Freshly ground spices deepen flavor—don’t skip them.
- Variations: Add nuts, chocolate chips, or adapt into muffins/mini loaves.
- Storage: Keeps 3 days at room temp, 1 week refrigerated, or 2 months frozen.
- Pro tip: Swirl dulce de leche lightly for marbled ribbons without sogginess.