A nice moist Banana Bread is one of the most famous quick bread recipes out there. Overripe bananas are mixed with a handful of pantry ingredients you likely have on hand!
This recipe is easy to make and perfect for adding your favorites from chocolate chips to walnuts.
Homemade banana bread is a quick bread recipe and perfect as a snack or dessert.
Bananas for Baking Banana Bread
How Ripe Should Bananas be for Banana Bread? They are sweetest and ripest when they are nicely spotted (with lots of black/brown spots) and are very soft.
If you notice your bananas are soft and don’t have time to make bread, peel them and freeze them. They can stay frozen for months and you will always be ready to bake with.
To Ripen Bananas Quickly
Ready to bake banana bread or banana cake but your bananas are just barely yellow? No problem!
To ripen bananas in the oven:
- Preheat to 350°F.
- Place bananas on a baking sheet and bake 15 minutes (the skins will turn black).
- Cool completely and proceed with the recipe as directed.
How to Make Banana Bread
This is a classic banana bread recipe. It’s very basic and produces a moist loaf but it does welcome add-ins.
- Combine dry ingredients together per the recipe below and set aside.
- Combine remaining ingredients together, stirring in bananas last.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined.
- Bake as directed.
Serve fresh out of the oven or heated slightly with butter for an easy and delicious snack!
Additions/Variations
Banana bread can be made with any of these add-ins.
TIP: Toss the additions with a bit of flour before adding to the batter. This will help keep them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
- Nuts (toasted walnuts or pecans)
- Chocolate chips or peanut butter chips
- Toffee pieces
- Blueberries
- Shredded carrots or zucchini
Tips for Moist Quick Breads
- Use the pan size called for in the recipe.
- Ensure your baking soda is fresh.
- Measure flour properly (by spooning the flour into the measuring cup, not scooping it with the measuring cup*)
- Mix just until moistened.
- Do not overbake. Ovens can vary, be sure to check your bread at least 10 minutes early.
- Remove from the pan to cool completely.
* Find more information on measuring flour here.
Storing Leftovers
Quick bread is easy to store and will last about 5 days. Keep it wrapped in plastic wrap, foil, or in a sealed container at room temperature. It can be warmed for about 10 seconds in the microwave if desired.
To Freeze Banana Bread
Most quick bread can be frozen, just make sure they are sealed well.
Freeze in a zippered bag or an airtight container labeled with the date on it. Frozen banana bread should be good for about eight weeks. Thaw at room temp and serve!
Quick Breads You’ll Love
- Pumpkin Bread – perfectly spiced
- Easy Banana Bread Recipe – made with mayonnaise
- Chocolate Banana Bread – triple chocolate
- Lemon Blueberry Bread – great snack!
- Zucchini Bread – crazy moist!
- Pecan Coconut Banana Bread – lots of flavor
Moist Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup butter or vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ⅓ cups mashed bananas about 4 small
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or line with parchment paper) an 8x4 loaf pan.
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Whisk to combine.
- With a hand mixer on medium, combine butter and sugars in a medium bowl until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Stir in mashed bananas.
- Add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake.
- Cool in the pan 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a rack.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Like our recipes?
Follow us on Pinterest!
is the butter referring to melted butter? The recipe says butter or vegetable oil
I use room temperature or softened butter. Melted and cooled butter or vegetable oil will also work!
This is simply the best!!!!!!
Only have one question. How can you tell if it is done? I took my first attempt out after 55 minutes and it was a bit doughy in the center.
Although I can’t eat it(no sugar for me)I love the aroma that fills my home when I bake it for my guys! They LOVE it. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You want to bake until a toothpick comes out clean. I am glad you enjoyed this recipe Susan!
I’ve made this recipe several times and I’m not much of a baker! I love it.
came out sooo good
Similar experience to other lower ratings. I found the batter quite thick and the finished loaf had very little sweetness or moistness. This recipe had a very high flour ratio to other recipes I’ve used in the past which could be the issue.
Will have to make another attempt.
Very dry on the outdo and raw in the middle…
This turned out so good! We’ve been doing a lot of renovations and spring cleaning for the last few weeks and I’ve promised my kids that I’d make them each a special treat for all their help. A couple of weeks ago it was redoing our cabinets and this week was getting our carpets cleaned. My oldest asked for his own loaf of banana bread, and he had that thing gone within a day! Needless to say I’ll be making this recipe again! Thanks for sharing!
I love that Jeanie! I am so glad this recipe was a hit!
This is a easy and great recipe. So good that my 1 year old grandson didn’t want to stop eating it. Husband and rest of family loves it!
A friend of mine works in a gas station/ convenience store that sells bananas. She hates throwing out more than half a box a week and asked me if I wanted some. Of course I told her and she filled a huge bag with bananas for me.
Wanting a different recipe than the one I’ve been using for years, I came across this one.
Well, I made a pan of mini mini’s ( has 8 little loaves) and 6 full sized breads. Everyone I gifted these breads to told me they were AMAZING, and to please share the recipe.
I told them I can’t because it’s a secret.
Oh my ! This bread is moist and the cinnamon adds that little touch that makes this bread so delicious. It’s my new go to.
Another thing I do during baking caked breads ( including pumpkin) is I make a foil tent over the top to keep the top from over browning the last 20 minutes of bake time.
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit Terri! Thank you for the tip!
The most delicious banana bread I’ve ever made – ratio of ingredients is perfect, and the flavour is so spot on. Not too sweet or dense.
Turns out amazing every time. I used this recipe to make 6 loafs for the bake sale at my kids school and an extra loaf for my friend. It was a huge hit. I definitely recommend.
I was going to try this recipe, but noticed that ingredients call for vegetable oil and instructions state to cream butter and sugars. There is no butter on the ingredients list. Just thought you may want to fix this discrepancy.
The ingredients call for ½ cup butter or vegetable oil. I hope that helps.
The Best!!!we love it!!
Recipe worked great and I experimented by adding banana peels as well ( frozen, rinsed, then completely thawed in microwave). Cooked until toothpick came out clean, no excess moisture from peels hindered the recipe. Added bout 1/4 tsp nutmeg, yum.