“I hate banana bread” said no one ever.
Whether enjoyed as a delightful breakfast companion, an afternoon snack, or a sweet ending to a meal, this moist and flavorful loaf has the power to make any moment even better.
And the best part? It’s super easy to make at home – making it an ideal choice for both seasoned bakers and those just starting their journey in the kitchen.
I share the perfect banana bread recipe, sharing key ingredients, essential tips and the step-by-step process for the perfect loaf.
If you have a loaf pan, ripe bananas and an oven, this recipe is for you!
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Ingredients Required
- 1/2 cup salted butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 3-4 ripened, mashed bananas
- 1 and 3/4 cups flour (sifted, not packed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 to 1 cup crushed nuts of choice (optional)
Tools Required
The items you’ll need to make this scrumptious banana bread include:
- silicone spatula
- a fork or electric mixer
- two mixing bowls
- a non-stick 9×5 loaf pan (you can order one from Amazon here)
- non-stick cooking spray (non-flavoured) or vegetable oil
- 15 minutes!
How To Ripen Bananas – 3 Ways
Super ripe bananas are naturally sweeter and softer, making them perfect for creating the most moist, delicious banana bread!
Below are 3 ways to ripen your bananas faster for making banana bread:
1 – Place Bananas In A Paper Bag (not plastic):
As bananas naturally ripen, the peels give off ethylene gas., which promotes ripening. The more ethylene there is in the air surrounding the bananas, the faster they will ripen. Placing your bananas in an enclosed paper bag will boost the ethylene surrounding the bananas and ripen them in 1-3 days, depending on how ripe they were to begin with.
Place the banana-filled paper bag in a warm location to speed up the process even more. You want the bananas to begin to develop dark brown spots and feel very soft to the touch for baking.
2 – Ripen Bananas In The Oven
Need ripe bananas today? Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a baking pan with silicone or parchment paper. Bake for a half hour to start and check the bananas every 15 minutes to see if they are the colour and softness needed for baking (e.g. super soft with a deep black peel).
3 – Ripen Banana In The Microwave
Poke holes in unpeeled bananas all over with a fork or knife, then put them on a plate and in the microwave on high for 30 seconds at a time, repeating until they’re super soft and mushy. These bananas won’t be as sweet as the paper bag or oven ripe version, but they’ll be mashable for baking.
Tip: Personally, I love to throw any overly ripe bananas that don’t get eaten by the kids into the freezer to have on hand whenever I feel like making this banana bread.
Simply defrost in a bowl, drain the excess liquid from the defrosting process and get baking!
How To Make Overnight Oats For A Healthy Breakfast
Learn how to make overnight oats as a quick and easy breakfast that will keep you full, give you energy and is perfect for anyone on the go!
Preparation & Baking Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Spray the loaf pan with the non-stick cooking spray, or pour a bit of vegetable oil in the pan and use your fingers to distribute the oil all over the inside of the pan to prevent sticking.
- In one bowl, use a hand mixer or a fork to mix butter, sugar, eggs and mashed bananas all together (wet mix).
- In the other bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder (dry mix).
- Add the dry mix to the bowl with the wet mix and fold the dry mix into the wet until thoroughly mixed together (you should see no dry bits once well mixed).
- Optional – Add the chocolate chips and/or crushed nuts of choice and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and put the pan in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Insert a knife into the very center of the loaf and ensure there are no wet bits of the mixture on the knife to ensure the loaf is fully baked. If the knife has wet mix still on it, put the loaf back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes and check again.
- Once fully baked, remove the pan from the oven and remove the loaf from the pan and onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes for the best results.
- Start eating!
Recipe Card
Easy, Delicious Banana Bread Recipe
Easy, Moist, Delicious Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter or vegetable oil
- (if you have unsalted butter, just add a 1/2 teaspoon salt to the butter)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 3-4 ripened, mashed bananas
- 1 and 3/4 cups flour (sifted, not packed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 to 1 cup crushed nuts of choice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Spray the loaf pan with the non-stick cooking spray, or pour a bit of vegetable oil in the pan and use your fingers to distribute the oil all over the inside of the pan to prevent sticking.
- In one bowl, mix butter, sugar, eggs and mashed bananas using a hand mixer or a fork (wet mix).
- In the other bowl, mix flour, baking soda and baking powder (dry mix).
- Add the dry mix to the bowl with the wet mix and fold the dry mix into the wet mix until thoroughly mixed together (you should see no dry bits once well mixed).
- Optional - Add the chocolate chips and/or crushed nuts of choice and mix well.
- Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and put the pan in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Insert a knife into the very center of the loaf and ensure there are no wet bits of the mixture on the knife to ensure the loaf is fully baked. If the knife has wet mix still on it, put the loaf back into the oven for another 5-10 minutes and check again.
- Once fully baked, remove the pan from the oven and remove the loaf from the pan and onto a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes for the best results.
- Start eating!
Notes
Note: Ovens can vary, be sure to check your bread at least 10 minutes early.
Recommended Products
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Let me know if you try the recipe, I can’t wait to hear if you enjoyed it!
