Alex Guarnaschelli's 'Banana Bread On Steroids' Is Blowing Minds On Instagram

While banana bread is generally decadent, sometimes we encounter an example of such sheer decadence that it overwhelms us as if we had never seen a loaf before. Instagram had that moment when Alex Guarnaschelli decided to share a video of her drizzling honey on a fresh loaf of banana bread topped with walnuts.

"Omg banana bread on steroids!" user momjohara exclaimed in the comments. And yes, it looks like a truly large loaf of banana bread. Whether that is due to sheer size, the camera work, or muscle-enhancing substances is an open question. Either way, we see the browned crust rising over the pan and the walnuts adding even more height. The rest of the comments expressed similar excitement. One person wrote, "That looks heavenly," and others deemed the treat's appearance "sensational" and "stunning." Variations of "Yum," "omg," "wow," and requests for the recipe litter the column. It seems possible, then, that we will soon see a banana shortage occur as everyone rushes to bake Alex Guarnaschelli-style banana bread.

How does Alex Guarnaschelli make banana bread?

Of course, you cannot leave this piece without learning how to make banana bread like Alex Guarnaschelli. Fortunately, the chef provided a recipe on Facebook back in April 2020. While it doesn't sound exactly the same as the more recent, seemingly muscular version shown on Instagram, this one sounds delightful in its own right and, for all we know, could still be quite similar.

Mix flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat unsalted butter with sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and molasses. Then, introduce the banana and walnuts. Stir, bake, and cool. Voila! The biggest visible difference here is that Guarnaschelli makes no mention of covering the bread with walnuts or honey.

Guarnaschelli's Facebook instructions on banana bread differ from recipes shared by the Food Network, Julia's Album, and Taste of Home by using 5 bananas instead of 3. However, this increase does not span all ingredients. Perhaps using extra bananas gives the bread an "on steroids" look. The only way to verify this is for you to make it yourself. Enjoy.