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While the ingredients may seem odd, this banana bread recipe is a no-fail favorite that is perfectly moist every single time.

stacked slices of banana bread with cubes of butter

Holly’s Recipe Highlights For Banana Bread

  • Flavor: This bread is moist and lightly sweetened with lots of flavor.
  • Ingredient tip: This recipe has an odd ingredient which, as you can see from the reviews, works beautifully. Mayonnaise adds moisture, but don’t worry, you can’t taste it.
  • Recommended pan: This recipe is baked in an 8×4-inch loaf pan. If your pan is larger (9×5-inch) you’ll need to adjust the cooking time as the loaf will be thinner.
  • Bananas: You can peel and freeze bananas when they’re ripe for baking. Thaw them in the fridge or microwave and lightly drain any liquid.

Ingredient Tips for Banana Bread

  • Bananas: Use bananas that are very ripe with many black spots because they’ve got more sugars. If your bananas don’t have black spots, follow the tips below to ripen them in the oven quickly.
  • Mayonnaise: I replace some of the egg/oil with mayonnaise—which is made of… eggs and oil. You can’t taste the mayonnaise in this recipe and it makes for the best bread. You can use any variety of mayonnaise (I use Hellmann’s) or dressing such as Miracle Whip. No butter is needed in this recipe.
  • Add-Ins: You can replace the pecans in this banana bread recipe with walnuts or chocolate chips.

How To Ripen Bananas Quickly

Uh oh! You have beautiful yellow bananas, perfect for a smoothie or banana pudding, but not so much for baking.

  • To ripen in 1-2 days: place them in a brown paper bag (with other ripe fruit if you have any) and seal.
  • To ripen immediately: Bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes. Cool before using in this recipe.

How to Make Banana Bread

Banana Bread with Mayonnaise? I know it may sound a little strange, but it makes a moist banana bread recipe.

  1. Mash the bananas and mix them with egg and mayonnaise.
  2. Combine dry ingredients in a second bowl (full recipe below).
  3. Mix the two just until moist, the batter should be lumpy.
  4. Pour into a greased pan and bake.

Holly’s Tips for Moist Banana Bread

  • The batter should be thick and a bit lumpy; do not add extra liquid or extra bananas. Extra bananas can make the bread too dense.
  • As with all quick breads, do not overmix. Use a spoon, not a mixer.
  • Do not overcook. Ovens can vary; check your bread at least 10 minutes before the cooking time is up.
  • For easy removal, line the loaf pan with parchment paper leaving about 3-inches of paper folded over the top of the pan.
A sliced loaf of banana bread made from an easy banana bread recipe

How to Store Banana Bread

Banana bread should last about 3 days, in an airtight container on the counter.

To FREEZE: You can freeze the loaf as a whole or slice it and freeze the slices. To thaw a slice, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds or add it to the lunch box while it’s still frozen, it’ll thaw in plenty of time for lunch.

More Easy Banana Bread Recipes To Try

Did your family love this Banana Bread recipe? Leave us a comment and a rating below!

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stacked slices of banana bread with cubes of butter
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Easy Banana Bread Recipe

This banana bread is one of the easiest recipes and turns out perfectly moist every time.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings 12 servings
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Ingredients  

  • 3 medium bananas about 1 cup mashed
  • ½ cup mayonnaise or dressing
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup chopped pecans optional

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan and set aside.
  • Mash the bananas with a fork. In a medium bowl, combine mashed bananas, mayonnaise, and egg. In a separate large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and pecans if using.
  • Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Note: The mixture will be very thick, do not overmix.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Remove from the pan, and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Video

Notes

To Ripen Bananas Quickly bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes. Cool before using.
Avoid adding extra bananas; this can make the bread too dense. You should have about 1 cup of mashed bananas; if it’s a little bit over or under, it’s okay in this recipe.
As with all quick breads, do not overmix. Stir just until incorporated.
Check your bread at least 10 minutes before the baking time is up.
Line the loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving about 3 inches of paper folded over the top of the pan for easy removal.
To Make Muffins, divide the batter evenly among 12 muffin wells and bake for 14-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Do not overbake.
4.98 from 2707 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 231 | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 146mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 45IU | Vitamin C: 2.6mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Bread, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine American
sliced loaf of banana bread and slices of banana bread with writing
stacked slices of banana bread with butter and writing
slice of banana bread topped with butter and writing
slices loaf of banana bread with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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Comments

  1. Holly,can I omit the baking soda,or can you suggest a substitution?Baking soda so I’ve been told is not to good for humans?

    1. Hi Ann, I have only made this recipe with baking soda so I can’t say for sure. You could try baking powder, you will need to increase it to 3 teaspoons though. Maybe another reader has tried it and can give you a better suggestion!

  2. Aloha from Hawaii!Holly I’ve made your Easy Banana Bread many times.Can I swap out the banana for mangoes?5 stars

    1. I have never tried mangoes in this recipe but that sounds delicious. I think you would need to make a few adjustments though since mangoes are often sweeter and less acidic than bananas. They also are moister so the texture of the bread may be softer. I would love to hear what adjustments you make!

  3. I’ve been following you and using your recipes for quite sometime. Every one has been a winner but this banana bread was over the top! So delicious and so very moist! This will be my go to from now on. Thanks so much!5 stars