Banana Bread recipe

There are few things more nostalgic than freshly baked banana bread. It’s one of those treats that takes you down memory lane and leaves you reminiscing about Grandma’s kitchen or your favorite childhood afternoon snack. This recipe does just that, so do not be fooled by this loaf’s basic appearance. The sweetness and texture packed in this perfectly baked bread will have you going BANANAS.

I bake a loaf of this about every other month. My family knows that whenever I get a bunch of bananas from the farmers’ market or the grocery store that they’re in for a delicious treat in the coming days ahead. I get my bananas about four days before baking so they have just enough time to ripen on the counter. The riper your bananas, the moister your bread will be. It will also have a stronger banana flavoring.

Banana Bread Recipe

3.7 from 81 votes
Recipe by Madison
Course: Dessert, BreakfastDifficulty: Easy
Servings

12

servings
Prep time

10

minutes
Cooking time

55

minutes

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar

  • 8 tablespoons butter, softened (1 stick)

  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 cup milk (any kind)

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

  • pinch of salt

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
  • In a large bowl, using a whisk or hand mixer, mix sugar, butter, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, milk and eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
  • Spread batter into greased loaf pan.
  • Bake 55 to 60 minutes or until cooked all the way through (use a toothpick to check). Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes in pan before slicing. 

Notes

  • The riper the bananas, the sweeter and moister the bread.

A hack to speed up your ripening process by a day or two is to place the bananas in a brown paper bag along with an apple or another ripe banana and loosely fold the bag. If you don’t have time to wait for your bananas to ripen, a second method to ripen them would be to pierce the bananas (peel on) with a fork and microwave them for 30 seconds.

I like to get started on making my banana bread in the morning (That way I have ALL DAY to feast on it). The scent of the ingredients coming together and baking in the oven wake up my family with joy and cheer. I know we could all use A LOT more joy and cheer this year and this bread brings just that. Right now, it’s the little things that count. No matter what is happening in the world or in life, whenever I make this banana bread, I always finish feeling centered and more at peace before even trying it. Maybe it is the activity of baking that I love so much and/or the aroma therapy that receive from it.

Banana bread batter after being mixed with hand mixer.
Giving it a stir to make sure everything is nicely combined.

Usually, I like my banana bread plain, but occasionally I add chocolate chips. Feel free to add your own twist to this. If you have some Nutella on hand, then give it a chocolate-hazelnut swirl. Even a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter would surely give it a yummy twist. You can add walnuts or whatever else you would like to add to this recipe to make it your own.

Once it is in the oven, you have almost an hour to clean up and do whatever else you want to do while you wait for this delicious treat. You will surely know it is ready when you start to smell the delicious aroma. Stick a toothpick in the center just to be sure and if it comes out clean then you are in business.

Moist banana bread

After baking, allow the bread to rest for 10 minutes and then, you can finally try a piece and share with your loved ones (or keep it all to yourself). To keep this bread fresh, I tightly wrap it in Saran Wrap and place it in my refrigerator for up to 1 week…that is if it lasts that long! This also freezes for up to two months and tastes just the same when eaten after freezing. I hope this banana bread brings you the same Joy this Season that it does for me and my house! 

Happy Baking & Eating!

-Madison

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