Description
This homemade banana bread recipe is easy, moist, and perfect for using up ripe bananas. It’s a classic quick bread with a rich buttery flavor, delightful sweetness from light brown sugar, and optional add-ins like nuts, chocolate chips, or blueberries to customize your loaf. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, it yields a tender crumb and golden crust baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Bread Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas (about 340g, mashed)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (190g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter (75g, melted)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (100g, packed)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1/2 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by greasing it well or lining it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mash Bananas: In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps for texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, light brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture is glossy and combined. Stir in the mashed bananas thoroughly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and optional ground cinnamon to distribute evenly.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gently add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Add Optional Mix-ins: Fold in any optional ingredients such as chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or blueberries to enhance the bread’s flavor and texture.
- Prepare for Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Optionally, sprinkle a few extra mix-ins on top for presentation.
- Bake: Place the loaf in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. Begin checking at 45 minutes to avoid over-baking. If the top browns too quickly, tent with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Test Doneness: The banana bread is done when it turns golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool for at least another 10 minutes before slicing to ensure clean cuts.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Do not overmix the batter as it can make the bread dense and tough.
- Optional add-ins can be customized according to preference or left out for a classic loaf.
- Store leftover banana bread wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to one week.
- Freezing the banana bread wrapped well can keep it fresh for up to 3 months.
