Banana Bread with Pears, Pistachios, and Cardamom

Step 1

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease your loaf pan (standard size) with the softened butter, making sure to get it into all of the crevices.

Step 2

Add your melted butter to the mashed bananas in a large bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until no longer gritty. Whisk in the egg for 30 seconds. Gently whisk in the remaining dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Fold in the pears and the pistachios.

Step 3

Pour the batter into the greased loaf tin and bake for an hour, starting to test after 45 minutes by inserting a wooden skewer (or a piece of dry spaghetti) into the center of the loaf. If it comes out wet, keep cooking.

Step 4

Cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then carefully remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.