This easy banana bread recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, takes less than 10 minutes of prep time, and comes out perfectly sweet and moist every time.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Soft, tender, and naturally sweet from ripe bananas with a little extra richness from a secret ingredient.
- Skill Level: Beginner-friendly; no mixer needed.
- Prep Note: Peel and freeze bananas in Ziploc bags when they’re ripe for baking. Drain off any liquid before using.
- Recommended Tools: This easy banana bread is baked in an 8×4-inch loaf pan.
- Serving Suggestion: Slice it warm and serve it with butter, or toast it for breakfast. Slices freeze beautifully for grab-and-go treats that kids will love.
Easy Banana Bread Ingredients
This easy to make banana loaf uses just 7 simple pantry ingredients.
- Bananas: For the sweetest loaf, use very ripe bananas. You’ll need about 1 cup of mashed bananas.
- Mayonnaise: Mayo is made of eggs and oil, making it an easy swap in baked goods, and you can’t taste the mayo, I promise! I use Hellman’s but any variety of mayonnaise will work just fine.
- Add-Ins: You can replace the pecans with walnuts or chocolate chips. Add cinnamon or nutmeg for a warming twist.
How To Ripen Bananas Quickly
Uh oh! You have beautiful yellow bananas, perfect for a smoothie or banana pudding, but not so perfect 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: Place directly on the rack in the oven at 300°F for 15-20 minutes. Cool before using.
How to Make Easy Banana Bread
- Mash the bananas and mix them with the egg and mayonnaise.
- Combine dry ingredients in a second mixing bowl.
- Mix the two just until moist, then pour into a greased pan and bake (full recipe below).
Storing, Freezing, and Leftovers
- Let the loaf cool all the way before storing it in an airtight container. It can stay on the counter for about 4 days, or you can refrigerate it to help it last longer.
- Freeze whole or in slices for up to 3 months; wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn.
- Warm a slice in the toaster or microwave until it is slightly heated for a warm, fresh-baked treat!
Cozy Banana Favorites
Did your family love this Banana Bread recipe? Leave a rating and comment below!
Equipment
- 8 x 4-inch Loaf Pan greased
Ingredients
- 3 medium bananas about 1 cup mashed
- ½ cup mayonnaise or dressing
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 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, but 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, warm them 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. Batter should be lumpy.
- 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.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 231 | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 148mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 47IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Bread, Breakfast, Snack
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Love this recipe I make it at least once a week. Actually this is the first bread I ever baked!