Banana Bread
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Banana bread is the best way to put those overripe bananas sitting on our counter top to good use! Moist, nutty, and oh so yummy!
Banana bread makes my heart so happy. It’s one of those comfort foods that is viscerally fulfilling for me. Also, it tastes so good. It never lasts long in our house, so we usually double the recipe and make two loaves! I like to serve ours with a warm cup of coffee, whipped butter, and if I’m feeling totally crazy, I’ll sprinkle on some pumpkin pie spice!
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Banana Bread
Banana bread ingredients
- Butter – some folks recommend oil, but I am a staunch believer in using butter. There is just no match for the flavor it adds! Try to use a good European butter with low water content, like Kerrygold.
- Brown sugar – brown sugar is just so much better in this recipe than white sugar. I also feel like it helps keep your the bread moist.
- Eggs – eggs add richness to the bread, but spoiler alert- the recipe will actually work even without eggs!
- Bananas – make sure you use super ripe bananas with lots of black and brown spots on them. The sugars are much more developed and you’ll get a sweet moist bread as opposed to a dry starchy bread if you used fresh bananas.
- Salt – it’s amazing what a small amount of salt can do for a recipe.
- Vanilla – I am a huge proponent of always using real vanilla extract as opposed to imitation. There’s just no comparison.
- Baking soda – baking soda is used as a leavening agent so it’s not too dense.
- Cinnamon – just a pinch for flavor!
- Flour – make sure to use all purpose flour, not self rising. If you only have self rising on hand, skip the salt and the baking soda.
- Optional: walnuts – my kids do not like nuts, so I will usually make a double batch and do one loaf with nuts and one loaf without.
How do you make banana bread? (Step-by-step)
⭐ First, in a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar.
⭐ Next, add eggs, bananas, salt, vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon. Blend well.
⭐ Then, gently stir in flour, then walnuts.
⭐ Finally, pour into a well greased loaf pan (we use this substitute for cooking spray) and bake on the center rack. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
Preparation
How long do you leave banana bread in the pan after baking?
You can turn it out of the pan immediately after baking and place it on a cooling rack. In our house though, it’s usually gobbled up directly from the pan while still warm.
Is there a difference between baking soda and baking powder in banana bread?
There is a difference between baking soda and baking powder. Baking soda and baking powder both act as leavening agents to puff up the bread, but they are not directly interchangeable.
Our bread calls for baking soda, but if you only have baking powder you will need to use three times the amount called for in the recipe. For this recipe, you would need three teaspoons of baking powder if you do not have baking sofa available.
Is the bread supposed to be moist?
Banana bread is supposed to be very moist and moderately dense. The bananas themselves are very moist, and then add to that your butter and you have a deliciously moist bread.
How do I know if my banana bread is done?
You know it’s done when you can stick a long toothpick down the center of the bread and it comes out clean. If the toothpick comes out clean, do not continue baking the bread or you will end up with dry or burnt result.
Leftovers and storage
Do you have to refrigerate banana bread?
Refrigeration is not necessary, but it will extend the life of your banana bread for several days.
How long does banana bread last?
It will last about three days at room temperature and up to a week in the refrigerator. Make sure to keep the bread well wrapped or in a sealed container to avoid it drying out.
Can you freeze banana bread?
You can freeze it for several months. Allow the bread to cool to room temp, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap or foil, and then in an airtight container or freezer bag. To thaw, leave at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Troubleshooting
Why is my banana bread so dry?
There are a few reasons your bread may be too dry. Check to make sure you’re adding the correct amount of butter – even skimping a little can cause the bread to be dry. You’ll also want to make sure you’re using at least medium sized bananas in your recipe.
And finally, make sure you’re not cooking it too long. If your oven is not properly calibrated and is cooking at too high a temperature, it may end up dry.
Why did my bread sink in the middle?
If you substituted baking powder for baking soda in your recipe and used too much, it can sometimes cause the banana bread to rise too quickly and then fall in the middle. Watch your measurements closely!
More yummy bread recipes
Tools we love
- Electric mixer – I love love love love love (x’s 100) my stand mixer. Really and truly. But my daily work horse is this handheld electric mixer. It even comes in allll the colors. Which, yay!
- Pyrex Basics 1.5 Quart Clear Glass Loaf Dish with Lid – it makes me thoroughly happy when things come with lids.
- Baker’s Secret Cooling Rack, Set of 2 – gotta cool your loaves, yo.
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How to make banana bread
Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar gently packed
- 2 eggs
- 3 over-ripe bananas
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- Optional: 1/2 – 1 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, bananas, salt, vanilla, baking soda, and cinnamon. Blend well.
- Gently stir in flour, then walnuts.
- Pour into a well greased loaf pan (we use this substitute for cooking spray) and bake at 350 degrees on the center rack for about 60 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Calories for banana bread are calculated with 1/2 C walnuts.
- We use this substitute for cooking spray and it works amazingly well!
Nutrition
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Homemade banana bread is SO much better than store-bought. This is a great recipe!
A classic! Thank you for the banana bread troubleshooting advice in the post. Super helpful.
Have you tried using sour cream or Buttermilk in this recipe? Thank you. Phyllis from Iowa
everybody knows how much i like banana bread as it is the closest thing to banana muffins, but i want to know if we can add walnuts to it!
you can totally add walnuts to banana bread! yum 🙂
A trick I picked up from Alton Brown:
When you buy bananas, buy one more than you need. When that last banana gets super ripe, stick it in the freezer, skin and all. When you accumulated three bananas in your freezer, you’re set.
On the day that you decide that you want to make a banana bread, take those three bananas out of the freezer in the morning, and let it thaw in the refrigerator all day. That evening, when you are ready to make banana bread, cut the stem off each of the bananas, and squeeze the banana goo into your mixing bowl like a tube of toothpaste. It will be perfectly super sweet.
The point of this is that you can start thinking about making that banana bread tonight, in the morning, and not starting to plan on Monday for making a banana bread on Friday. I always have a few bananas in the freezer for just this reason.
Alton Brown was really talking about using these bananas for banana ice cream, but it works perfectly for banana bread.