Banana Pecan Bread With Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze

Cheryl Day is the undisputed queen of Southern baking, and her spin on our popular banana bread recipe is not to be missed. You'll want to make her banana pecan bread with caramelized white chocolate sorghum glaze again and again.

By
Cheryl Day
Cheryl Day
Cheryl Day
Cheryl Day is a New York Times bestselling cookbook author, a James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef, a self-taught scratch baker, and an entrepreneur. Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking nominated for James Beard in the Baking and Desserts category.
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Published May 09, 2023
Cheryl Day
Banana Pecan Bread with Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze Cut Into Slices With the Cross Section Showcased

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

As a Southern baker, I love recipes that are resourceful. A slice of warm banana bread with a pat of butter is one of my go-to comfort bakes. It’s definitely a favorite at the bakery.

This recipe is Southern comfort in every bite. The addition of sorghum and pecans adds a homespun flavor that is unmatched and caramelized white chocolate elevates the banana. The complex flavor will have you craving just one more slice.

Sliced Banana Pecan Bread With Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze on a Platter

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Caramelizing White Chocolate

Caramelizing the white chocolate deepens the flavor and adds to the warm spices in this recipe. The process takes a bit of extra time, so you may want to make extra to keep on hand to add or drizzle on just about anything. Don’t be afraid to let it turn golden. 

Why Add Sorghum?

It's like liquid gold that adds a depth of flavor to baked goods. I grew up eating it on biscuits and pancakes and it’s a childhood good memory that I absolutely love.

More Recipes from Cheryl

Pitcher of Caramelized White Chocolate Poured Onto a Loaf of Banana Pecan Bread on a Cooling Rack

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

What Is Sorghum?

Sorghum is a genus of grasses, some varieties of which are cultivated as a cereal (also called sorghum) and some of which are used to make the sorghum in this recipe, a sweet syrup. It is largely made in the southern U.S., where it is popular as a topping for biscuits and is sometimes used in baking and other applications.

It is similar to molasses but less intense in color with a more complex flavor, and darker and richer than honey. In addition to being sweet, sorghum is lightly grassy, earthy, nutty, and a bit smoky. 

How to Use Extra Glaze

When testing this recipe, we were especially taken with the shiny glaze. We ended up with only using about half to glaze the loaf—luckily, it will keep for a solid week in the fridge and it’s delicious served a number of ways:

  • Top slices of the banana bread with extra glaze
  • Warm slightly and drizzle on ice cream
  • Slather on top of cake or pancakes
  • Dunk cookies into the warm glaze
  • Use as a fruit dip
From the Editors Of Simply Recipes

Banana Pecan Bread With Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 60 mins
Caramelizing white chocolate 55 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins
Servings 8 to 10 servings
Yield 1 (9x5) loaf

This recipe includes instructions for how to make caramelized white chocolate. You can also buy it ready to use from chocolate makers like Valrhona, which labels it as Blond Dulcey 35%. Chop and melt the chocolate before mixing up the glaze.

Ingredients

For the caramelized white chocolate

  • 10 ounces chopped high-quality white chocolate, at least 30% (such as Valrhona or Callebaut)

For the bread

  • 2 cups (275g) unbleached all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup (160g) packed light brown sugar

  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 teaspoon ground mace

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1 1/4 cups pecans halves, toasted and chopped

  • 1 1/2 cups well-mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas) 

  • 1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the glaze

  • 5 tablespoons sorghum syrup, divided

  • 2/3 cup heavy cream

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal)

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Method

  1. Make the caramelized white chocolate (optional):

    Preheat the oven to 250°F.

    Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread the white chocolate out evenly on the pan. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, then smooth with a spatula to flatten it out.

    Bake the white chocolate in the oven in 10-minute intervals, stirring and spreading the chocolate each time you check it. After about 40 minutes, the chocolate should be a dark beige color. Continue to cook until smooth in texture and a caramel color, about 5 more minutes.

    Once it has cooled, chop the chocolate and set aside.

    Tip

    The caramelized white chocolate can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

    White Chocolate on a Parchment Paper Lined Baking Sheet

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Melted White Chocolate Spread Onto the Parchment Paper Lined Baking Tray Using an Offset Spatula

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Caramelized White Chocolate

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  2. Preheat the oven and prepare a loaf pan:

    Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. 

    Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment, allowing the ends of the paper to hang over two opposite edges of the pan.

    Parchment Lined Loaf Pan

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  3. Combine the dry ingredients:

    In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, light brown sugar, baking soda, salt, mace, cinnamon, and chopped pecans. Set aside.

    Banana Pecan Bread With Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze Dry Ingredients Whisked Together

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  4. Combine the wet ingredients:

    In a medium bowl, mix the mashed bananas, sour cream, eggs, butter, and vanilla until combined. Gently fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just incorporated.

    Bowl of Wet Ingredients Whisked Together for Banana Pecan Bread With Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze Recipe

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Bowl of Banana Pecan Bread Batter With a Spatula

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  5. Bake the bread:

    Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a cake tester in the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool the bread in the loaf pan for 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

    Banana Pecan Bread Batter in the Parchment Lined Loaf Pan

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Loaf Pan With Baked Banana Pecan Bread on a Wire Cooling Rack

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Banana Pecan Bread on a Cooling Rack

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  6. Make the glaze:

    Once the bread has cooled, put the chopped caramelized white chocolate in a heatproof bowl and warm just until melted. Set aside.

    Pour 4 tablespoons of the sorghum into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until it is bubbling throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and immediately start to slowly pour in the cream—be careful; the hot mixture may bubble and steam. With a heatproof spatula or spoon, stir the cream until it is completely incorporated. Add the last tablespoon of sorghum and the salt, stirring until completely dissolved.

    Pour the hot sorghum over the caramelized white chocolate and whisk until the glaze starts to emulsify. Add the butter and stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Set aside to cool slightly before using. 

    Tip

    The glaze can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat over low heat, stirring before serving.

    Sorghum Heated in a Pot on the Stove

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Cream Mixed Into Heated Sorghum on the Stove

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Hot Sorghum Mixture Stirred Into Caramelized White Chocolate

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
  7. Glaze the bread:

    Pour the barely warm glaze over the cooled bread in an even coating. Let set for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

    The unglazed bread will keep at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days. The glazed bread will keep for 2 days. You can also freeze the unglazed bread for up to a month.

    Love the recipe? Leave us stars and a comment below!

    Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze Poured Onto Banana Pecan Bread on a Wire Cooling Rack With Parchment Paper Under It

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
    Banana Pecan Bread With Caramelized White Chocolate Sorghum Glaze on a Platter

    Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
466 Calories
23g Fat
62g Carbs
6g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8 to 10
Amount per serving
Calories 466
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 23g 29%
Saturated Fat 11g 55%
Cholesterol 74mg 25%
Sodium 258mg 11%
Total Carbohydrate 62g 22%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 35g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 4mg 21%
Calcium 83mg 6%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 374mg 8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.