Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread [Grandma Mills]

August 14, 2016 By Jill Selkowitz / 137 Comments Updated April 13, 2020 / As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs I earn from qualifying purchases; see all disclosures.

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Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread was specialty of Grandma Mills. It’s a delicious dessert bread that cooks up fluffy and moist in the pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread

Banana Bread is one of those sweets that just about everyone loves. Jan Borden Freeman is a wonderful baker, as a result of her Grandma Mills teaching her to bake when she was in her 20’s.

Jan purchased an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker last year and has been cooking up a storm. Her most favorite and prized recipe from her Grandma is her Grandma Mills’ Banana Nut Bread. She realized that baked goods were not only possible in a pressure cooker, but they come out very moist and delicious.

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Ingredients for Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread

All Purpose Flour
Bananas
Butter
Sugar
Baking Soda
Sea Salt
Walnuts – totally optional

Jan decided to convert her Grandma’s famous Banana Nut Bread and the very popular Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread was born.

Nordic Ware 6-Cup Bundt Pan

Click to purchase this Nordic Ware 6 cup Bundt Pan.

The above photo of Jan’s cake is so beautiful, so I wanted to show case it. However, Jan says she gets her best results using this little Nordic Ware 6 cup Bundt Pan.

Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread is always a hit with Jan and her family. All the kids’ kids, still make this wonderful bread and remember their Grandma.

Lottie Bell Donnell Mills “Grandma Mills”

Jan wanted to give the history behind the bread and talk a little about Grandma Mills. She says: “Lottie Mills was a dear Christian woman from Oklahoma City. She loved to cook meals and bake desserts. She loved to have people over for a meal and dessert, and to share her love of Christ and the gospel.”

Pressure Cooker Grandma Mills’ Banana Nut Bread

How To Keep Sweets from Taking on Taste From Savory Recipes

Easy.
Get yourself a second and third silicone gasket/seal. They are super cheap.
They come in colors. We use one for sweets, one for savory and one for strong smelling recipes like my incredible Instant Pot Butter Chicken recipe.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl, add butter, sugar and eggs. Using a Hand Mixer, beat until combined. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. There should be no sugar granules left in the bowl.

Place bananas in a Small Mixing Bowl and mash well. Add the mashed bananas to the butter, eggs, sugar mixture and gently beat to combine.

Some people like nuts in their bread, others don’t. This is a personal choice.

Don’t Scoop from the Container or Bag of Flour

If you don’t read anything else of this story, please at least read my article on How to Properly Measure Flour.

I don’t want you to end up with a rubbery or a brick Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread and then blame the recipe. Proper measurement of Flour is essential!

Besides incorrectly measuring the flour, over working a batter will also lead to a heavy and dense bread.

Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the Flour

So, now that you know How to Properly Measure Flour, measure out the two cups of Flour. You did read that article, right????

Okay, then, add the rest of the dry ingredients into the Medium Mixing Bowl and beat just until combined. Do not over work your batter. Doing so will cause a very heavy and dense bread.

If using walnuts or your favorite nut, gently fold them in now and combine by hand. If you want to use Chocolate Chips, hand fold them in now.

Grandma and Grandpa Mills with their Children

Grandma and Grandpa Mills had five children. The above photo shows the lovely couple with their children.

Jan goes on to say: “This Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread is just one of her many recipes. She created this Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread many, many years ago. Her recipe was in her head and she measured the ingredients with the palm of her hand or by the pinch.

One day we made a loaf of banana bread with her. As she eyeballed the ingredients in the palm of her hand or by a pinch, we measured everything and wrote it down. I’ve been making Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread since the 1970s but she had been making it for decades before she shared the recipe with us.”

Pour the Batter into a Cake Pan

If you don’t have a 6 cup Bundt Pan, grease a 7 inch Push Pan or 7 inch Cake Pan and place a Parchment Round in the bottom. Grease the Parchment Round too.

Pour the batter in and jiggle the Bundt Pan, so that the batter is even. You may need more time, if using a Cake Pan instead of a Bundt Pan. The Bundt Pan is the preferred pan and will give you better results, time and time again.

Jan continues:

“A few months after I got the Instant Pot, I saw a pressure recipe for a carrot bread or cake. I thought I would experiment with Grandma’s recipe. I love the way it turned out. The taste reminds me of Grandma Mills, but the Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread is more moist because cooking it in the pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread cooks for about the same amount of time as in the oven. As I said, it’s more moist…and it’s fun being able to use my Instant Pot. During the scorching hot summer months, I can still make Banana Nut Bread without heating up the house. Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread freezes well. I cut it and wrap each piece, individually.”

Place Pan into Pressure Cooker

Jan also uses a 6 cup Bundt Pan (which I find gives a more even bake) for this recipe to change things up a bit. Grease and flour the bottom of the pan, since parchment paper wont work well.

Add some water to the bottom of your Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker and place a Trivet inside.

Place the cake pan of batter on top of the Stainless Steel Trivet. You are all ready to bake!

Banana Bread will rise quite a bit

Tips and Tricks for Instant Pot Banana Nut Bread

A 6 cup Bundt Pan works best.
If you don’t measure the Flour properly, you WILL end up with a rubber/brick Banana Bread. Please read my article How to Properly Measure Flour.
Over working the batter will cause a dense and heavy bread.
Allow the pressure to release for a bit. Grandma Mill’s Banana Nut Bread will rise nicely.
Allow it to cool, before slicing.

Pressure Cooker Grandma Mills’ Banana Nut Bread, Bundt Style

Jan hopes you will enjoy her Instant Pot Grandma Mills’ Banana Nut Bread, as much as she and her family have been enjoying this for years.

One of my readers, Elisa, says: “I just made the best banana bread I have ever had. Used this recipe with following adjustments. Added 1 tsp of vanilla, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, dash of cloves and 1/4 cup of apple sauce. UNBELIEVABLE!!!”

Thank you, Elisa. I am so thrilled that you enjoyed this recipe. 🙂

More Instant Pot Dessert Recipes to Make:

Instant Pot Pumpkin Bundt Cake w/Butterscotch
Instant Pot Bhapa Doi {Steamed Yogurt Pudding}
Choco-Spice Layer Cake w/Mocha Buttercream Frosting
Instant Pot Pumpkin Bundt Cake w/Butterscotch
Pressure Cooker New York Cheesecake [Instant Pot] – the BEST recipe ever! You must make this right away.

Enjoy this recipe from the oven or from the Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi or Pressure Cooker.

Kitchen Equipment and Essentials

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Here is the handy printable recipe:

PIN this Pressure Cooker Grandma Mills’ Banana Nut Bread!

Instant Pot Grandma Mills’ Banana Nut Bread

About Jill Selkowitz

Hi, I'm Jill. I'm a mom to Tonkinese cats and enjoy sharing restaurant quality meals, easily made at home. With my easy step by step photos and directions, new cooks will be able to follow along and cook like rock stars.