How Ripe Should Your Bananas Be
The best kind of bananas for this recipe are ones that are overripe with a lot of speckles. If your bananas are still green or just yellow, then I suggest waiting a little longer.
If you need to speed up the process and ripen your bananas quicker, simply place them in a brown paper bag for 1-3 days. The ethylene gas will build up in the bag and circulate around the bananas, speeding up the ripening process.
Can You Freeze It
Yes, absolutely! To freeze the the loaf: Wrap the loaf tightly with plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag or container in the freezer for up to 3 months. When youre ready to enjoy it, place it on the counter for several hours or overnight so that it can come to room temperature.
To freeze individual slices: Slice the bread and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, then place the baking sheet in the freezer for a couple of hours or until the slices are frozen. Place the frozen slices in a freezer bag or container and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. You can thaw individual slices to room temperature or reheat frozen slices in the microwave for 20-30 seconds at a time or until warmed through.
What I Love About The Recipe:
- Normal Ingredients No artificial sweeteners or anything out of the ordinary here. I use basic pantry ingredients you already have.
- Healthy No oil, low sugar, FOUR bananas, and around 100 calories per slice!
- Tastes Amazing When baked goods are labeled healthy they often dont taste great, but I promise you no one would ever guess that this banana bread is any different! It is still just as moist, sweet, and scrumptious as traditional banana bread!
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Easy Banana Bread Recipe
This Easy Banana Bread Recipe is the absolute BEST! It is moist, packed with bananas, sweetened with brown sugar, and baked in a square pan for even and quick cooking. No mixer needed, grab a bowl and whisk, this bread is ready in under 30 minutes.
If you asked me what I bake most often, the answer would undoubtedly be banana bread. It took me years, and dozens of recipes, before I found the one that Im sharing here. It became an immediate reader favorite and family staple.
For years, I have been on a search for the PERFECT Banana Bread. I wanted a recipe that is simple, with no fancy ingredients, and no trendy technique. Just a flat-out delicious Banana Bread that bakes up perfectly every single time. HERE IT IS!
This recipe is also the base for our Banana Nut Muffins and our Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
How Many Cups Is 1 Mashed Banana
This can be tricky! If a recipe calls for 3 bananas, how much is that? We all know that measurements are important in baking, so the difference between a very small banana and a very large banana can be significant when baking a loaf of banana bread.
My recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of mashed banana. One large banana yields about ½ cup mashed, so I used 3 large bananas for a total of about 1 ½ cups. If you’re working with small bananas, you’ll need at least 4 . Measuring is always the safest way to make sure that your banana bread turns out perfectly moist, sweet and delicious!
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Ingredients For This Recipe
To make this easy banana bread youll start out by gathering your ingredients. For this recipe well be using:
- Unsalted Butter: Some banana bread recipes use oil, but I find that butter works best in this recipe. It also provides more flavor than using just oil.
- Sugar: I use a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar adds extra moisture to the banana bread as well.
- Eggs & Vanilla Extract: Youll be using a couple of eggs to bind everything together and some pure vanilla extract.
- Mashed Bananas: Theres two cups of mashed bananas in this recipe for maximum banana flavor. The mashed bananas also help to keep this banana bread incredibly moist.
- All-Purpose Flour: This provides the structure for the banana bread. Just be sure to spoon and level your flour when youre measuring it so you dont end up with too much.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Theres a combination of baking soda and baking powder in this banana bread to give it the perfect amount of lift.
- Cinnamon & Salt: The cinnamon is optional here, but it adds a beautiful flavor to the the banana bread. The salt helps to balance out the sweetness too.
- Walnuts: As always, the chopped walnuts are completely optional. I love adding some to this recipe, but feel free to leave them out!
Love Sweet Breads Try These Popular Bread Recipes:
We love sweetbreads because they are easy to make and are such a treat, especially when you top them with Honey Butter! Dont miss these reader favorites:
- Apple Bread a pull-apart moist apple bread
- Pumpkin Bread so easy and we love it year-round
If you make this recipe, Id love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This banana bread recipe was first published in 2009 one of the very first recipes on our blog! It has been a reader and family favorite ever since.
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A Banana Bread Recipe To Go Bananas For
I know I have a good thing going when there is an emoji AND a Gwen Stefani song about it… Let’s hear it for the world’s best banana bread recipe! This shiz is bananas, B-A-N-A-N-A-S! This shiz is also the most moist, most chewy, most tasty banana bread you will ever eat. It is one of my mom’s famous recipes, and that woman knows her way around a good loaf of bread.
Remember how I told you it’s baking week? I figure this is a fabulous recipe to have since it is warm outside, meaning you more than likely have some old, brown nanners lying around. The answer is ALWAYS banana bread.
Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Banana Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Its no secret that Reeses Peanut Butter Cups are amazing, but have you ever tried Reeses Peanut Butter Banana Bread? The combination of chocolate and peanut butter is irresistible, and this bread is the perfect way to enjoy it. This recipe is easy to follow and results in a delicious, moist loaf of bread.
- Pin this recipe for later!
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What Is The Best Banana Bread Recipe
To make the very best banana bread that comes out super moist, it is important to start out with those ugly, overripe bananas! In the picture below you can see the bananas that I used for this recipe post. These bananas are just ripe enough to work with. They need to be a dark yellow with lots of browning. You can use bananas that are even darker than this! The riper the bananas, the more moist your bread will be and the more banana flavor it will have!
How To Mash Bananas
Did you know you can use your electric mixer to mash bananas? Break or slice the spotty bananas into large pieces and place in the bowl of your stand mixer or use a regular mixing bowl and your hand mixer. Begin beating on low, then gradually increase to medium-high speed as the bananas break down into mashed banana. Transfer the bananas to another bowl and use the mixing bowl for the banana bread ingredients.
I do this when I mash bananas for banana muffins, too.
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What Kind Of Bananas To Use
- The ideal banana for banana bread is BROWN. You want them more brown than yellow. The bananas should be overripe. Brown bananas are what make banana bread sweet and moist.
- Can you make banana bread with fresh bananas? Overripe bananas are best, but if you are in a pinch, you can ripen the bananas by baking them in the oven. Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Let the bananas cool. Peel, mash, and get baking!
- You can use frozen bananas if you are in a pinch, but I do prefer unfrozen bananas. To freeze bananas, peel them and put them in a freezer bag. I lay them in a single layer so they dont stick together and press all of the air out of the bag. The bananas can be frozen for up to 6 months. When ready to use, let the bananas defrost on the counter for about an hour. You want them to be soft but not runny.
- You can also mash overripe bananas and freeze the mashed bananas. I like to freeze them in cup size portions in freezer bags. Make sure you write the date, cup amount, and frozen bananas on the bag so you know what is inside. Defrost before using.
- For this recipe, you will need 1 ½ cups mashed bananas, which is 3-4 bananas, it just depends on their size. Three large bananas or 4 medium bananas.
Easy Banana Bread Recipe: Ingredients
One of the best things about this recipe is that it uses kitchen staples. All you need is your ripe bananas and youve likely got everything else on hand. You can find the full, printable recipe at the end of this post. Lets take a look at what youll need:
- ripe bananas you want really ripe bananas which mean plenty of brown spots all over the bananas. Watch the video to see what my bananas look like, and they can be even riper than that!
- sugar for the video and banana bread pictured, I used all granulated sugar. This recipe is delicious with brown sugar as well and it can add even more moisture to the bread. I like to use either 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar, or 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Try this recipe different ways and see which you prefer.
- eggs room temperature eggs work best.
- sour cream I prefer banana bread with sour cream but Greek yogurt is a great substitute.
- unsalted butter the butter needs to be melted and then cooled for a good 20 minutes. I melt the butter before I start pulling out ingredients or prepping the loaf pan to make sure it has plenty of time to cool. Butter should be opaque.
- vanilla extract use high quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste for the best flavor.
- all purpose flour creates the structure of this bread.
- baking soda and salt for leavening and flavor.
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How To Quickly Ripen Bananas
If youre sitting there with unripe bananas and need to bake banana bread, there are a couple of tricks for speeding up the ripening process:
- Add to a paper bag. If you can wait a day or two, throw the bananas into a brown paper bag. Bananas release ethylene . If you can place the bag in a warmer area of your home, the process will go even quicker.
- Bake them. You can bake bananas in their peel to ripen them for a speedy option. This trick works best when the bananas arent entirely green and are already starting to ripen. To do it, line unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake in a 300F oven until they look shiny and black . Dont worry if some banana flesh or juices leak out while they bake.
The bananas make the bread deliciously moist, sweet, and flavorful. Once youre ready with your bananas, the rest of the recipe comes together quickly.
Key Ingredients For Moist Banana Bread
- Six medium-sized, overly ripe bananas the more brown spots, the better. And yes, it says 6 bananasnot a typo.
- 2 fresh large eggs let them sit out long enough to reach room temp.
- Real butter, softened to moderate room temp. Dont let the butter get so soft that its close to melty, though.
- Pure vanilla extract, as its a great assist to the bananas.
- A mixture of white and brown sugar. The white sugar keeps texture light, while brown sugar complements the ripe bananas.
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How To Make The Ultimate Banana Bread
Okay here we go, the banana bread thats a little high maintenance in preparation, but pays off in dividends with the final product this is how we do it!
- Microwave the bananas, then strain over a bowl to capture all of the juices that have been released.
- Reduce the banana juice in a saucepan to get super concentrated banana flavor without needing to add a ton of extra liquid.
- Mash together the bananas and reduced liquid ultimate banana flavor!
The rest of the recipe is pretty run-of-the-mill with whisking melted butter , eggs, brown sugar , and vanilla into the mashed bananas, then stirring together with the flour mixture.
All thats left is to sprinkle the top with sugar and bake away.
How To Make Banana Bread:
This is the easiest banana bread recipe. We mix it in a stand mixer because its easy, but you can use an electric hand mixer and can even make it work with a hand whisk. There is no fancy equipment required. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time!
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How To Make Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
This banana chocolate chip bundt cake comes together like a typical banana bread does. The batter can be made in one bowl, making for easy cleanup!
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Pumpkin Bread with maple icing This pumpkin bread recipe is an easy pumpkin bread thats great for sharing
Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf Gingerbread loaf is a great fall and winter dessert to serve your family or friends.
Easy Lemon Blueberry Bread Loaf This is the perfect recipe for breakfast, a snack or dessert.
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What Size Bundt Pan Is Required
I had about 3/4 cup too much batter for my 12-cup Bundt pan to comfortably hold and added it to one mini 5×3-inch loaf pan which took 37 minutes in my oven to bake.
If you dont have a mini loaf pan, you may have a bit more batter than a 12-cup Bundt pan will hold.
If thats the case, Id advise discarding that batter or in other words, dont fill your Bundt pan more than 2/3 to 3/4 full or it could overflow. Better to discard a little bit of batter than to clean up overflow batter from the bottom of your oven.
Banana Bread Recipe Faqs
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
Very! The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more delicious the bread. You want to look for bananas with lots of dark spots all over. The more the merrier.
Can dogs eat banana bread?
Bananas by themselves are okay in moderation for dogs, but since this bread contains a fair amount of sugar, its not the best treat for your pup. Stick to these dog treats instead.
How long does banana bread last?
After baking, the bread will last for 3 to 4 days at room temperature. Simply wrap in plastic wrap or store in a large resealable bag. If you store it in the fridge, it will last an additional few days.
How to store banana bread?
Banana bread should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container, wrapped in plastic or in a large, resealable bag.
Can you freeze banana bread?
Absolutely and I recommend it! I often make two loaves, and freezing a loaf is the best way to guarantee we have banana bread ready to enjoy when the next craving hits. To freeze:Bake as directed and let it cool completely on a wire rack.Wrap the bread in two layers of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Place in a freezer ziploc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.Bread should be thawed at room temperature. Simply unwrap the number of slices or whole loaf and let come to room temperature. Enjoy!
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