I’m on a baking binge at the moment and I came up with this recipe this weekend in an effort to use up some eggnog I purchased but don’t plan on drinking. Don’t get me wrong – I think eggnog tastes fantastic, it’s just the texture and consistency that gives me issues. So it made perfect sense to me to use it up in baking somewhere.

How do you feel about eggnog? It seems to be a pretty polarizing ingredient. Most people really hate it, or they really love it. My brother happens to be one of the folk that love it. He consumed quite a bit of the eggnog before I used it for this recipe.

My 8 year old has actually never tasted the stuff, so for fun I poured her a small glass to taste. She drained it dry and made a dramatic show of how much she enjoyed drinking it. She’s so extra, that one.

This banana-nut bread is so well spiced and packed with flavor, it’s the perfect bake to propel you into the holiday mood. With plenty of bananas and a hefty serving of Southern Comfort’s eggnog, along with a punch of cinnamon and nutmeg, this beauty does not disappoint. I sincerely hope you try it.

Here’s how to make it. Start by preheating the oven to 350 F and preparing 2 loaf pans with baking spray. Next, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven to get nice and toasty. Once toasted, divide the walnuts into a 1 cup measurement and the remaining 1/2 cup for the topping. Then mix your dry ingredients into a small bowl. This will be your flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk softly and set this bowl aside.

In a medium sized pitcher, mash the bananas and then combine your wet ingredients – which include the eggs, eggnog, & vanilla. Whisk that together real well to make sure the eggs have been broken up.

Then in a large mixing bowl, add the butter and brown sugar and mix with a handheld mixer on medium speed until the sugar has begun to dissolve into the butter and the two ingredients have combined into a dark, creamy mixture. Add half the wet ingredients into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Then add the entire bowl of dry ingredients and mix that thoroughly as well. Add the remaining wet ingredients and continue to mix on medium speed until all the dry ingredients have been absorbed by the wet.

Evenly distribute the batter between the two loaf pans and bake in the oven at 350 F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out with crumbs.

Allow the bread to cool for at least an hour before removing from the pans. Meanwhile, work on the topping. Combine the powdered sugar, eggnog, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in small bowl and whisk until smooth. Chop the remaining toasted walnuts you set aside earlier. Once the bread has cooled, drizzle the icing on top and cover in the toasted walnuts and your sprinkles of choice (optional).

Watch my video below and refer to the written recipe if needed. I hope you try it!

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 small to medium mashed ripe bananas, mashed
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup Southern Comfort eggnog
• 1 cup softened butter
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts

For the icing:

• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup eggnog
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

• For the bread:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare 2 loaf pans with baking spray.
2. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes in the oven to get nice and toasty. Once toasted, divide the walnuts into a 1 cup measurement and the remaining 1/2 cup for the topping.
3. Measure the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl and mix lightly.
4. In a medium-sized pitcher, combine the eggs, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and eggnog and whisk together well.
5. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the softened butter and brown sugar using an electric handheld mixer until the sugar has begun to dissolve into the butter and the two ingredients have combined into a dark, creamy mixture.
6. Add half the wet ingredients into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Then add the entire bowl of dry ingredients and mix that thoroughly as well. Add the remaining wet ingredients and continue to mix on medium speed until all the dry ingredients have been absorbed by the wet.
7. Fold in the 1 cup of toasted walnuts and divide the batter equally between the two loaf pans.
8. Bake at 350 F for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out with crumbs and no wet batter. Allow to cool in the pans on a cooling rack for at least an hour before decorating.

• For the icing:

1. Measure the powdered sugar, eggnog, cinnamon, and vanilla in a small mixing bowl.
2. Whisk thoroughly until smooth and no lumps.

• For the decoration:

1. Once the loaves are cooled, drizzle the icing on top of each loaf until the desired amount has been reached.
2. Top with the walnuts and your desired sprinkles, if you’d like. Sprinkles are optional.

Enjoy!