Best Banana Bread
Why make one when you can easily make two? This ridiculously easy, one-bowl basic banana bread recipe is the only recipe you’ll ever need!
Read on for my secret to the moistest and flavorful banana bread.
First of, a quick disclaimer. I try to stay away from claiming any of my recipes the best of the best. Honestly, there can be many variations of THE BEST of anything, right?
Well anyway, this basic banana bread recipe is the best though! Moist and tender, flavorful and nutty! It’s been our family favorite for quite a while now.
So what makes this basic banana bread recipe so special?
Why?
Because defrosted bananas get super mushy and liquidy, and all that flavorful liquid is gold! It makes the bread moist and flavorful.
So, here’s how I deal with frozen bananas.
Ideally, you want to peel and freeze your bananas, when they get dark spots all over. And when you get the craving, they’re ready to go. However, that never happens around here. It seems like those bananas ripen at most inconveniently busy times (read: lazy times) that I simply throw them into the freezer, peels and all! So whenever I’m in banana bread mood, I take those frozen bananas out and hold it under hot tap water to soften a bit, and then peel them and put them in a microwave safe bowl and zip it in a microwave until they’re completely defrosted and practically liquid. Sounds like a lot of work? Nah, it’s not really that bad, and for that amazing banana bread, you won’t even mind it!
Get your bowl and wooden spoon out! Let’s get baking!
Also, this’s just a basic banana bread recipe, which means you get to customize it to your own liking. Chocolate chips or chopped chocolates, dried fruits, different nuts, whatever your heart desires! As you can imagine, I often add chocolate in mine.
Hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading.
Best Banana Bread
Yield: 2 loaves
Prep Time:10 min
Cook Time:60 min
Total Time:70 min
Ingredients:
- 8 frozen bananas, defrosted
- 1 ½ cups (300gr) sugar
- ½ cup (115gr) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3 cups (375gr) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1- 1 ½ cups (120-180gr) chopped pecans, optional
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare two 9x5-inch bread pan and spray with non-sticl spray.
- In a large bowl, mash the defrosted bananas with fork or potato masher.
- Add sugar, melted butter and vanilla extract, and mix everything until combined.
- Stir in eggs.
- Then add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix to combine.
- Add pecans and/or other add-ins, like chocolate chips, dried fruits.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 60 minutes, or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Keep the banana bread in the bread pan, covered tightly, in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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This post was originally published on February 13th, 2013.
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This was my first time making banana bread. It came out so good!!!!! I added chocolate chips and walnuts. Thanks for posting this awesome recipe. And I took someone’s advice with defrosting the bananas in the microwave whole, I peeled them like peanuts, it was easy!
Yay, so glad you loved it. Chocolate chips and walnuts are wonderful addition! Thank you for your feedback, Heather!
I just made them as cupcakes and omg they r sooo good thx a lot for the recipe. My son loved them a lot I used less sugar and added chocolate chips and a little flax meal. My question is can I freeze them? Thx
Hi, Sally! Chocolate chips are always a great addition. And yes, it freezes really well. Just wrap them good to prevent freezer burn.
Thx for the recipe. Will try it tomorrow but was wondering if i can make it a bit healthier for my toddlers, also trying to cut down on sugar. Do u think using a little honey or grade a maple syrup might work? Which and how? Not trying to change the recipe just wondering if it can be made in a kid friendly way. Will follow the recipe for my own loaf 😉. Thx a lot
Hi, Sally. I wouldn’t recommend replacing sugar with honey or maple syrup, because you won’t get the same texture. If you really want to cut down on sugar you may reduce it by 1/2 cup, but I don’t know how it’ll affect the taste and texture of the final bread.
Thank you so much for the delicious recipe i tried last weekend and it was successful everybody liked and were eaten so quick. i will write down this recipe to my recipe notebook.
Yay, so happy to hear you tried and loved the banana bread. Thank you for your feedback, Munkhuu!
Why does the banana bread have to be kept in the pan and fridge? I understand it’ll go bad quickly, as most home baked goods do, but is it not stable enough to keep in Tupperware?
Thanks. Trying today!
Hi, Gidgette. I feel like the bread stays moist and fresh longer, when kept in the pan. Less area is exposed to air, I guess. But storing in a tupperware is cool too, especially if you’ll eat it quickly.
I have frozen bananas for banana bread for years, and I’m one step lazier than you are. I simply freeze them peels on, then defrost them in a bowl in the microwave still in their peels. Once defrosted I snip off one end with kitchen shears and squeeze the banana and all that good juice right out of its peel. So easy, no mess and no peeling.
I agree, frozen bananas make the best bread!!
Oh how interesting! It never occurred to me to microwave them with peels on! But it makes sense. Totally trying that next time. Thanks for sharing, Denise!
The recipe says to add sugar, butter, eggs & vanilla. Then stir in eggs. When do we add the eggs?
Hi, Mary. Sorry for confusion. Eggs should go in at step 5. I updated the recipe. Thank you for pointing it out.
Looks soooooo good!
Thanks, Marla!
I never would have thought to use frozen banana,but we always have a few in the freezer, so I am making this loaf asap
Let me know you like it, Heather. Thanks for stopping by!
I always have frozen bananas in the fridge!! I think I may have just found banana bread nirvana!
Hi, Kim! Hope you try this recipe! It’s a keeper. 😉
hi. ih goy blog bna. vrgelj zochilj bh bolno, bayrlalaa
Bayarlalaa, Chuka! Blog maani taalagdsand bayartai bn. 🙂
Sain baina uu,iim goy blog medsendee ih bayartai bna.Bi ene talhiig hiij uzeh gesen yum tegsen hemjilten deer ni tolgoi jaahan ergeed bna.end guril 1 1/2 cup gesen bna (190 gr),cupniihaa hemjuuriig harahaar 1 cup 235 gr gesen bhiin yahuu?
Sain, sain bnuu Cheegii? Minii blogoor zochilsond bayarlalaa! Heljuurtei ayagaar 1 ayaga taltai hemjeed hiichih. 235gr gedeg ni ihenhdee shingen yumnii hemjee bdiin. Huurai zuils, boloh guril, sahariin grammin huvid uur uur bdiin. 🙂 Amjilt.
hiij uzlee goy bolson
🙂 Setgegdelee uldeesend bayarlalaa! Taalagdsand bayartai bn.
Sain bna u?
Ene joroor banana bread hiisen chine uneheer goe boldiin bna. Uneheer goe amttai talh bolson. Bayarlalaa! 🙂
Sain, sain baina uu? Setgegdelee huvaaltssand estoi ih bayarlalaa. Mash ih uram avdag shuu. Ene bas minii hamgiin durtai talh. 🙂
Энэ талханд дрож ордоггүй юм уу?
Orohguie. Hunsnii sodoor huuchdug yum. 🙂
bayarlalaa. Bi carrot cakenii chin joroor keksiig ni hiij uzsen. Goyo amttai bolj bna lee. Oven bhgui bydaa agshaagchind hiisen. ovend bur goyo boloh bhdaa. Ene talhiig bas agshaagchind hiij uznee 🙂
Oh tiimuu. Goe bolson bol boljdee. Ene talh bas ih goe boldiin. Amjilt!
Сайн байна уу.
Туршиж үзмээр гоё харагдаж байна. Би энэ аягаар хэмжсэнүүдийг грамм болгож үзсэн нь зөв байна уу та шалгаад өгөөч?
76гр масло
150гр элсэн чихэр
196гр гурил
Бас Baking soda нь Монголд байдаг энгийн хүнсний сода мөн болов уу?
76gr maslo, 170gr elsen chiher, 190gr guril.
Baking soda gej hunsnii sod mun mun. Amjilt. Hiicheed zuragaa huvaaltsaarai!
baking soda bhgui bol baking powder hiivel yadag bol?
Bolohgui bhaa. Er ni sodiig orluulah zuil bdaggui yum. Gehdee turshaad uzehgui yu, sod oldohgui bol.