This Unexpected Ingredient Takes Banana Bread To The Next Level

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Banana bread is undoubtedly one of the most glorious ways to eat dessert for breakfast. A warm slice of the sweet bread paired with an iced latte is the perfect recipe for a great start to the morning. Plus, loaves can be stuffed full of chocolate chips, spiced up with cinnamon, or even baked with nuts for a crunchier twist. But there's actually another, rather unexpected inclusion that will elevate your banana bread's flavor from basic to truly delicious: espresso powder. If you think that powdered espresso is reserved for iced lattes, think again. It actually makes for the perfect addition to your banana bread mix and enhances the overall flavor. 

Espresso powder on its own is admittedly bitter, but when you combine it with those extra sweet, extra ripe bananas, the resulting bread has a richer and more caramel-adjacent flavor profile. Most recipes recommend adding just one tablespoon of instant espresso powder, and it's important to make sure you're using the dissolvable kind and not coffee grounds, which won't incorporate as well into the batter. Along with espresso powder, you can still toss in those other classic banana bread additions — chocolate chips, nuts, or even a bit of cinnamon.

Banana bread isn't the only treat that benefits from this caffeinated addition either. There are tons of recipes that use coffee as a secret ingredient. Brownies, for example, are one sweet treat whose batter benefits from the addition of espresso powder, which complements and enhances the richness of the chocolate.

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Adding espresso powder is a subtle way to incorporate that coffee flavor, but the caffeine-obsessed out there could also try including brewed coffee to make the beans a more prominent note in the resulting loaf. It's not just banana bread that's cementing the craze for the classic banana and coffee combination. If you're obsessed with the pairing, there are even more ways to enjoy it at breakfast time. For one, banana and coffee smoothies are a great way to craft a heartier meal in the morning — and you could even indulge right alongside a slice of banana bread. 

While recipes vary based on individual preferences, the basics are frozen bananas, some form of brewed coffee, and the milk of your choice. For additional protein, toss in some nut butter or protein powder. Or, for a mocha twist, add some cocoa powder instead. If you're more into coffee than smoothies, banana coffee is really popping off on social media too. Starbucks is one huge chain hopping on the trend, and it offers a banana cream cold foam that would be the perfect addition to cold brew (as of February 2026). 

One creative TikTok user crafted a banana bread iced coffee at Starbucks. They ordered an oat milk latte using blonde espresso and brown sugar flavoring and then topped it with the banana cream cold foam and finally some cinnamon. Social media famous Rhode Island-based coffee shop The Nitro Bar even offers a caramelized banana latte, which features their homemade brown sugar banana syrup.