Best Banana Bread Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
Best Banana Bread Recipe
Description
Best Banana Bread Recipe uses overripe bananas mashed to provide natural sweetness and moisture, combined with creamed butter and sugars for balance. Eggs and vanilla extract enrich the batter, while flour, baking soda, and salt create structure and leavening. The batter is gently folded together to avoid overmixing, preventing a tough texture.
Baked at 350°F in a loaf pan, the bread develops a golden crust while remaining tender inside. The simplicity of this recipe highlights the banana without additional spices or mix-ins, though options like cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate chips, raisins, or walnuts can be added. Proper handling of frozen bananas, like draining excess liquid, ensures consistency.
This loaf suits breakfast or snack times, and the moderate sweetness allows the banana flavor to stand out. Adjust sugar levels to taste if a sweeter bread is desired.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened to room temp but not at all melty
- ½ cup light brown sugar very tightly packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 egg large, room temp
- 6 medium sized banana overly ripe, mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp table salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle position. Grease a nonstick 9x5 loaf pan (light colored pan, if possible.) Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides and paddle as needed (2-3min.) Add eggs and beat on medium-low speed just until combined. Add mashed bananas and vanilla extract; continue beating just until mixture is incorporated. Remove bowl from stand mixer and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt until combined. Add flour mixture to bowl with banana mixture.
- Use a rubber spatula to fold dry and wet ingredients together just until no flour streaks remain, scraping down sides as needed. Do not over-mix, as doing so causes a drier/tougher texture.
- Scrape batter fully into greased loaf pan, gently evening out batter to the edges and corners of pan. Bake 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out with a few tender crumbs attached. Do not wait until toothpick is completely clean, or your loaf may become over-baked.
- Let finished loaf cool in pan at room temp overnight or until fully cooled. Gently loosen bread from edges of pan with thin knife, turn it out onto a cutting board, and slice to serve.
Notes
- For added flavor, spices such as 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg can be mixed into the dry ingredients.
- You may incorporate 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, ½ cup raisins, or ½ cup toasted walnuts into the batter before baking for variety.
- If using frozen bananas, thaw and drain excess liquid to maintain the proper batter consistency; baking time may need to be extended slightly.
- The bread’s sweetness comes mainly from the ripe bananas, so adjust granulated sugar up to ½ cup if a sweeter loaf is preferred.
- This recipe yields one 9x5 inch loaf and benefits from room-temperature ingredients for even mixing.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 290 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 290kcal | 15% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 4g | 8% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 0.4g | 20% |
| Cholesterol | 57mg | 19% |
| Sodium | 254mg | 11% |
| Potassium | 284mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
| Vitamin A | 376IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 6mg | 7% |
| Calcium | 36mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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