Easy Banana Bread
- PREP 15min
- COOK 1hrs
- TOTAL 1hrs 15min
Say hello to our family’s best banana bread recipe. This loaf is so good that you’ll want to make two (trust me). For the most flavorful and moist bread, your bananas really do need to be ripe—overripe, brown, and speckled bananas are best.
You Will Need
1 ½ cups (195 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt (see tip if using unsalted butter)
3 medium very ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups / 340 g mashed)
8 tablespoons (115 g) salted butter, melted and cooled
¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup (60 g) walnuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
Directions
1Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour an 8 ½ by 4 ½-inch (1-pound) loaf pan, or grease and line it with parchment paper. (See tips below for using a larger pan.)
2In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
3In a large bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas into a chunky paste. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well blended.
4Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two parts. Stir until the flour disappears and the batter is smooth. Fold in the walnuts, if using.
5Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
6Set the loaf pan on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Unmold the bread and let it cool completely before slicing.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Store banana bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze, double-wrap the loaf with a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 6 months.
- Pan: We prefer an aluminized steel 1-pound loaf pan (8 ½ by 4 ½ inches — ours is from USA Pans). If using a 9 by 5-inch pan, the loaf won’t be as tall and will bake 5 to 10 minutes faster. For glass pans, decrease the temperature by 25°F and bake slightly longer. Stoneware may also require adjustments depending on the specific pan.
- Promote even baking: Before placing in the oven, set the loaf pan on an insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked together—a tip we picked up from Dori Greenspan.
- Flour: Either weigh your flour in grams or use the “spoon and level” method: fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level it with a flat edge.
- Salt: If using unsalted butter, increase the salt to ½ teaspoon.
- To make chocolate chip banana bread, see our chocolate chip banana bread recipe. You will fold chocolate chips into the batter, either along with the walnuts or instead of them.
- The nutritional information provided are estimates.