Moist Banana Bread Recipe

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.

stack of Banana Bread Recipe with butter

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.

ingredients to make Classic Banana Bread

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.

To ripen bananas quickly, bake them in the oven at 350°F until the peels turn black, about 15 minutes. Cool before using.
Mix just until combined to keep the banana bread soft and tender.
Oven temperatures may vary. So, check the loaf early. Do not overbake.
If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil near the end of baking.
Let the loaf cool fully before cutting for clean, even slices.

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!

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

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.

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

Course Bread, Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American

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