This banana bread recipe is moist, tender, and packed with rich banana flavor. It’s a great way to use up ripe bananas for breakfast, snacks, or the freezer.
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Sweet with brown sugar, cinnamon, and rich banana flavor, baking up soft and tender with a melt-in-your-mouth crumb.
- Budget Tip: This recipe is perfect for using up those overripe bananas so they don’t go to waste.
- Time-Saving Tip: No time to bake and your bananas are turning brown? Unpeel and freeze 4 at a time in a Ziploc bag for easy baking later!
- Freezing: This banana loaf freezes beautifully. Wrap the whole loaf or wrap individual slices for a quick grab-and-go snack.
Banana Basics
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best sweetness. If using frozen, squeeze out any extra liquid before mixing. How many bananas in a cup? There are about 3 medium bananas in a cup. So for this recipe, you will want about 4 medium ripe bananas.
- Flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour as the base. You can replace up to ⅔ cup of it with whole wheat flour. Spoon and level the flour for a light, fluffy banana bread.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter in this recipe. If you have salted butter, skip the salt. You can replace some of the butter with oil for an extra moist crumb.
- Sugar: Sugar gives this banana bread its sweet flavor and soft texture, so don’t skip, swap, or reduce it.
Banana Bread Variations
One of the best parts about banana bread is once you’ve got the hang of it there are so many ways to customize it!
- Add nutmeg or swap pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon.
- To make it into a banana nut bread, add toasted nuts such as walnuts or pecans.
- Top the loaf with pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.
- Add mini chocolate chips, raisins, or shredded coconut.
How to Make Banana Bread
It’s easy to make the best banana bread with just a few simple steps!
- Whisk together dry ingredients (full recipe below).
- Cream butter and sugar. Add bananas, eggs, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Combine.
- Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
How to Store Banana Bread
- For best results, keep moist banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze loaves or slices by tightly wrapping them in plastic wrap or storing them in an airtight container for up to 4 months.
- Warm slices quickly in the microwave or pop them in the toaster for a soft, cozy bite.
Ripe Banana Recipes
Did you enjoy this Banana Bread recipe? Leave us a rating and comment below!
Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups mashed bananas about 4 small bananas
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened, or vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or line with parchment paper) a loaf pan.
- Mash the bananas with a fork to make 1 ⅓ cups mashed banana.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, add butter, brown sugar, and sugar. Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla, and mix well. Stir in mashed bananas.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir just until combined, do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
To ripen bananas quickly: Bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes or until the peels turn black. Cool completely before using.
Be sure to measure the flour correctly by spooning it into a measuring cup, not scooping it with the measuring cup.
Do not overbake. Ovens can vary; be sure to check your bread at least 10 minutes early. Remove from the pan to cool completely.
Leftovers will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for 4 days. It will also keep in the refrigerator, but wrap it tightly.
This is also great for freezing. Wrap and keep in freezer for 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 221 | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 269mg | Potassium: 104mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
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.
I was looking for a recipe for banana bread very first time making it all I’ve got to say is thank you!! This is the best banana bread I’ve ever had!! Super easy to make will differently be bad for more and different recipes
What is the weight of the butter? Equals to 1/2 cup
½ cup of butter is equal to 4 ounces.
Making this for the third time in a week because everyone loves it and it doesn’t last! I have always struggled with banana bread being too dark on the outside and undercooked on the inside, but not now! Perfect every time and made exactly as written. Thanks for the fool-proof recipe!
I’m horrible at eyeing things. I made a double batch. And only one loaf pan. How much do I fill the pan. Fingers crossed I’m not about to have an explosion of bread in the oven..lol. At least I have more batting if I do. Lol
I would weigh or measure the batter and put half in each pan.
I loved that recipe! Easy to make and very delicious! Exactly the taste I was expecting! Thank you
Recipe came out awful because there’s no eggs in the ingredient list but it’s mentioned in the instructions? I’m confused
Way way way too much flour.
The eggs are listed in the ingredients (3rd from the bottom of the list). If you didn’t add eggs, it would seem like too much flour because it would be dry.
I also added a bout a cup of walnuts!! Just add to the wet ingredients folded in
I loved it and I only had 2 bananas! Added a little evaporated milk and lemon juice.
I add ginger, cloves and nutmeg.
It’s an easy recipe to make your own. Thanks …Perfect!!
I used avocado oil!
Saved this one! Added chocolate chips – followed the recipe to the tee!
This recipe was the BEST I ever tried
Thank you so much, Rolanda! ❤️
Just made two loaves of this delicious bread…one to keep & one to give away.
My husband & I tasted a slice…very moist & delicious . Used up my frozen bananas.
This has to be my favorite recipie. I keep coming back to it when I want banana bread. I don’t like dry banana bread and this is so moist every time! love love love it.
Delicious!!
It was great
Just wanted to mention that when doubling or tripling the banana bread recipe, the number of bananas doesn’t multiply. Not a big deal as the measurement does multiply correctly but could be confusing.
Thanks so much!
Excellent recipe and so tasty!
Too much flower! Should of used 1 and 1/2 cup.
If you decide to try it next time with 1½ cups of flour instead, we would love to hear how it turns out, Beverly!
I love this recipe. I replaced vegetable oil with olive oil. I also used honey instead of sugar! Excellent banana bread thank you for the recipe I also added shaved almonds and sprinkled sugar on top.
If I only have a 9.5×5.25 inch pan, how long should I reduce the baking time by?
Hi Hannah! I have never used that size of pan but I would suggest baking at 325°F and check for doneness around the 40-45 minute mark. I would love to hear how it turns out for you!
So delish and moist
I would like the recipe for a moist banana bread
Hi Emerita, click here for the Banana Bread recipe!
My family loved it. The best I’ve ever made. So delicious.
So glad your family loved this recipe, Hanna!