This cozy citrus cardamom banana bread recipe comes together easily and makes a delicious loaf of bread! If you love the warm, sweet, and bright flavors of cardamom and orange, you are going to love this quick bread recipe!

It's perfect for winter or fall when you want a cozy treat. Check out a few of my other favorite quick breads as well, like my Persimmon Bread, Five Spice Banana Bread, and Marbled Chocolate Pumpkin Bread.

Two slices of cardamom banana bread topped with pats of butter and drizzled with honey on a small green plate.

Cardamom Banana Bread Features

With warming spices and fresh citrus, this bread is a perfect snack or dessert for fall and winter!
It's great for the holidays as well and would even make a wonderful hostess gift.
It couldn't be easier to pull this bread together, and while it does take about an hour to bake, it only requires about 15 to 20 minutes of hands-on time.

Ingredients for cardamom citrus banana bread on a marble background.

Banana Bread Ingredients

Very Ripe Bananas - use speckled or browned bananas if possible. The more speckled the banana, the sweeter it is (and it's easier to mash!). Don't use black bananas or bananas that are oozing liquid - those are too far gone!
Flour - you can use all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour. I don't recommend subbing for almond flour or another alternative non-wheat flour, though.
Butter - melt some unsalted butter in the microwave. It adds the best flavor - I don't recommend substituting for oil.
Orange - you'll use both orange juice and orange zest to flavor the bread.
Sugar - use granulated sugar for best results (and smoothest bread dough).
Spices - use cardamom, cinnamon, and salt to season the bread.
Vanilla - use a high quality pure vanilla extract for the best flavor!
Egg - use a large egg, preferably at room temperature if possible, to hold the bread together.
Baking Soda - a little helps the bread rise. Make sure to change out your baking soda everything six months to a year - the fresher the baking soda, the better it works!

See the recipe card for quantities.

A loaf of cardamom banana bread on a cooling rack.

If you try this cardamom quick bread recipe, please leave me a comment and a star rating below!

Citrus Cardamom Banana Bread

This wonderful cardamom banana bread with fresh orange juice is a truly special quick bread! It's flavorful, easy to make, and a perfect cozy treat.

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Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 1

Total Time: 1 45

Servings: slices

Author: Emily Wilson

Equipment

1 Loaf Pan (9x5-inch pan or 8.5x4-inch pan will both work)

Ingredients

⅓ cup butter melted
3 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan with butter or nonstick spray.
Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork till they are broken down.
Stir in the melted butter, orange zest, and orange juice.
Stir in the cardamom, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add the egg and vanilla and stir to combine.
Then add the flour and stir just till combined. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes till 1 hour or until cooked through. Insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the center of the bread to test doneness – it should come out clean.
Remove loaf pan from the oven and allow to cool for 30 minutes before removing the bread and slicing.