Instant Pot Banana Bread Royale

Dessert

I have been a longtime fan of Lois Schenck’s cookbook and culinary lifestyle guide, “The Desperate Gourmet” and I was so excited when I discovered her heavenly Banana Bread Royale could be made in an Instant Pot!

Learn to master the Instant Pot! New Instant Pot Master Class. [learn more]

Lois describes in her book how the original recipe was given to her by a cook at New York’s famous Schrafft’s restaurants. She added “Royale” to the recipe title because the secret ingredient–sour cream–makes it majestically good.

This recipe uses an Instant Pot technique called “pot in pot” or PIP, where the ingredients are cooked in a separate container (a bundt pan in this case) over water. The result is a moist, dense, delicious banana bread you’ll never want to stop eating!

In baking, the term “tunneling” refers to tunnel-shaped air pockets that form inside of quick breads as a result of over-mixing a batter. Overmixing will also make the bread tough. Avoid tunneling by folding in the dry ingredients gently, by hand, just until combined.

The secret ingredient–sour cream–makes it majestically good.


Ingredients:

  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 soft bananas, mashed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups flour

Instructions:

  1. In a medium bowl, combine baking soda in the sour cream. Set aside to allow the baking soda to dissolve.
  2. Coat the inside of a 6-cup bundt pan with non-stick spray. (our favorite is the Nordic Ware 6-Cup Bundt Pan: https://amzn.to/2RNympZ)
  3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter with the sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until uniform.
  4. Add the baking powder, bananas and vanilla extract to the sour cream mixture and stir to combine, then fold into the mixing bowl with butter/sugar mixture.
  5. Add the flour and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.
  6. Pour batter into the bundt pan and cover loosely with foil–do not seal.
  7. Put 1 1/2 cups of water and the trivet in the Instant Pot. Carefully lower the bundt pan onto the trivet.
  8. Using the display panel select the MANUAL function*. Use the +/- keys and program the Instant Pot for 45 minutes.
  9. When the time is up, let the pressure naturally release until the pin drops (typically 15-20 minutes), then carefully remove the pan from the Instant Pot and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
  10. Turn out onto a plate while still warm.

*The MANUAL and PRESSURE COOK buttons are interchangeable.

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