How to get fully into spring? Bake lavender banana bread this weekend.
I’ve been meaning to make lavender banana bread for months. I almost shared it in January, and a friend gently reminded me that it’s more of a spring recipe. Still — I was so excited to finally make it.
My fondness for floral flavors has grown a lot, but only when they’re paired with sweetness. I’m not into floral flavors on their own; I want them combined with sugar and vanilla. When lavender is matched with sugar and vanilla, it evokes the scent of an old‑fashioned ice cream shoppe — creamy vanilla ice cream and warm waffle cones. That fragrance is irresistible.
My high school job at an ice cream shop left me nostalgic for those smells: waffle iron tips, melting ice cream, the whole experience. It turns out that pairing lavender with banana bread creates that same comforting, slightly nostalgic effect.
So yes: lavender banana bread. I’m very into it. I top mine with a glaze that I tint a pale lavender — a light purple that a friend insists looks pink. Either way, it tastes wonderful.
The idea came partly from another favorite: banana bread with espresso glaze. Banana bread is basically cake that’s acceptable for breakfast, and this version leans a little more dessert‑like because of the glaze. It makes a lovely afternoon treat or a post‑dinner indulgence.
I used a smaller floral loaf pan for this bake, which is a 6‑cup pan rather than a typical larger loaf pan. Because of that, I followed a scaled recipe to ensure the batter fit. I added lavender extract for a light, straightforward lavender flavor — a faster option than infusing dried culinary lavender into cream or syrup. If you like to keep pantry staples on hand, culinary lavender and lavender extract are handy for many spring recipes.
Everyone here loved the loaf. Even people who aren’t typically fans of banana bread enjoyed this version, and it disappeared fast. It’s a recipe worth making when you want something pretty, fragrant and delicious.
Lavender Banana Bread
Lavender Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lavender extract
- 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed
Lavender glaze
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lavender extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons milk
- a drop of light pink or purple food coloring (optional)
- optional: culinary lavender flowers for sprinkling
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 6‑cup loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.
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Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
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In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla and lavender extract, then whisk in the mashed bananas.
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Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 55–60 minutes, until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto parchment to finish cooling.
Lavender glaze
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Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, lavender extract, heavy cream and milk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Add a drop of food coloring for a pale pink or purple tint, if desired.
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Optional: sprinkle a teaspoon of culinary lavender flowers over the glaze before it sets.
Notes
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Now I can officially say it’s spring!