Classic Banana Bread
This easy banana bread is soft, lightly sweet, and made with pantry basics. It is a practical way to use up spotty bananas and makes a good breakfast, snack, or lunchbox slice.
Total
75 min
Servings
1 loaf, about 10 slices
Level
Easy
Banana bread is the kind of bake that fits into real life. You do not need a mixer, and the batter comes together in one bowl with ripe bananas, flour, sugar, eggs, and a little melted butter.
The key is using bananas that are very ripe. Look for peels with plenty of brown spots. They mash easily and bring more sweetness and banana flavor to the loaf.
This recipe makes a tender, sliceable banana bread with a golden crust. Eat it plain, toast a slice with butter, or add chocolate chips or nuts if you like a little extra texture.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
10 items · 1 loaf, about 10 slices
- 3 very ripe medium bananas, peeled
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for the pan
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature if possible
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips, optional
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Heat the oven
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter, or line it with parchment paper so the paper hangs over the long sides. This makes the loaf easier to lift out later.
2. Mash the bananas
Put the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mash them with a fork until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps left. The lumps are fine and help the bread taste like real banana.
3. Stir in the wet ingredients
Add the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the mashed bananas. Stir until the mixture looks combined. It may look a little loose or speckled, and that is normal.
4. Add the dry ingredients
Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, if using, over the banana mixture. Baking soda helps the bread rise. Stir gently with a spatula just until you no longer see dry flour.
5. Fold in extras
If you are using nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now. Folding means gently turning the batter over itself with a spatula, instead of beating it hard. This helps keep the loaf tender.
6. Fill the pan
Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan once or twice on the counter to settle the batter and remove large air pockets.
7. Bake the loaf
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes.
8. Cool before slicing
Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Lift it out or turn it onto a wire rack, then cool for at least 30 minutes more before slicing. Warm banana bread is tasty, but it cuts more cleanly once it has cooled.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Banana bread tastes even better the next day. Bake it, cool it completely, then wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature overnight.
- Storage: Store the loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Refrigerated slices are firmer, so warm them briefly if you prefer a softer texture.
- Freezing: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or toast slices straight from frozen.
- Banana ripeness: If your bananas are not ripe enough, the bread will be less sweet and less fragrant. To speed things up, place bananas in a paper bag for a day or two.
- Sugar swap: You can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar. The loaf will be a little lighter in flavor and slightly less moist.
- Butter swap: Use the same amount of neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil, for a dairy-free option. The crumb will be a bit softer and less buttery tasting, but still good. Check that your chocolate chips are dairy-free if using them too.
Cook's note
Avoid overmixing once the flour goes in. Too much stirring can make banana bread tough or rubbery. Mix only until the flour disappears, then stop.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I use frozen bananas for banana bread?
Yes. Thaw the bananas first, then drain off extra liquid if there is a lot in the bowl. Mash and use as directed. Frozen bananas are often very soft, which is perfect for banana bread.
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
It may have been underbaked, or the batter may have been mixed too much. Check the center with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. The loaf should also feel set, not wobbly, in the middle.
Can I make this banana bread without nuts?
Yes. Simply leave them out. You can keep the bread plain, or replace the nuts with chocolate chips, raisins, or an equal amount of shredded coconut.
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
The best bananas for this recipe have brown spots all over the peel and feel soft when gently pressed. Fully black peels are usually fine too, as long as the bananas do not smell fermented or look moldy.
Can I bake this as muffins instead of a loaf?
Yes. Divide the batter among a lined muffin tin, filling each cup about three-quarters full. Bake at 350°F for about 18 to 24 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
05Keep cooking
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