A traditional latte is one to two ounces of espresso with eight ounces of steamed milk layered on top and approximately a centimeter of foam bubbling at the top. It provides a smooth texture and velvety consistency, where the milk adds sweetness, starkly contrasted by the bold flavor of the espresso shot. Yet, what if this isn’t satisfying anymore? What if the latte was reinvented?
TikTok answers this question with the trending viral recipe for a banana latte. It isn’t the first time TikTok influencers have added their creativity to classic recipes, as it’s almost a social media specialty to take something old and make it new again. But this time, not only has TikTok reimagined espresso-based specialty coffees, they have made it a little wild.
What is a banana bread latte?
If you’ve been wondering why #banana is appearing across your feed, displaying videos of people mixing bananas and coffee, it’s because the newest trending latte flavor is banana bread. The latte is made with a banana bread syrup, a mixture of mashed banana, brown sugar, water, vanilla bean paste, salt, and a dash of cinnamon. All of the ingredients are warmed over medium heat, then beaten to combine. The sauce will thicken over the course of 10 minutes as it simmers. Before combining it with the espresso, remove it from the saucepan and let it cool down. After this, it’s recommended to blend it so that the banana chunks become liquid and smooth and then it will officially be a syrup ready for use. According to Instagrammer Emma Kula, @kulas_kitchen, to make the latte, the order of ingredients should be the espresso first, followed by the homemade banana bread syrup, and then, layered with the steamed milk. There are slight variations, such as making an iced version, using only the banana for sweetness, mixing some coconut sugar with the brown sugar to enhance the flavor, and even whisking vanilla cold foam into it.
Why a banana bread latte?
When there are vanilla and caramel and even white chocolate readily available as latte flavors at any café, why is the banana bread latte preferred? Many are labeling their videos as a “dessert-style trend.” It encompasses the flavors of a favorite dessert, with the sweetness of a banana and the pairing of a dash of cinnamon. Unlike vanilla and caramel, it isn’t just a flavor to add to coffee. It’s an entire sweet treat with coffee added to it.
Dunkin’ has quickly caught on to this trend, and “the flavor of the season,” according to a press release, is banana. The Monkey Business Cloud Latte, which closely resembles the recipes across TikTok, is made of milk, pecan flavor, and banana cold foam. The new flavor can be added to any espresso drinks, iced coffee, matchas, or refreshers.
TikTok is one to transform and revamp antique ideas into something more fun. The banana bread latte is no exception. People across the internet are experimenting, offering fresh takes on how to make a latte, and finding the most delicious way to include dessert into their coffee.