- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for buttering
- 1/3 cup tightly packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and drained on paper towels
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 4 1/2-by-8 1/2-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar at high speed for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and beat until fluffy. Add the whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt; mix until blended. Add the bananas and maple syrup; mix until just blended. Add the all-purpose flour and mix at low speed until just blended. Stir in the walnuts and scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake the banana bread until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto a rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Slice four 1/2-inch-thick slices from the bread. Spread 2 of the slices with the peanut butter, then top each with 2 strips of the cooked bacon and another slice of bread. Wrap up the remaining banana bread for snacking.