My go-to banana bread recipe since 2013, and it’s the BEST!! This recipe makes two moistest and most flavorful breads with simple ingredients and just a wooden spoon! The only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need!!
Read on for my secret to the best banana bread.
Table of Contents
- What makes this the best moist banana bread recipe
- The secret to moist banana bread
- Key Ingredient Notes
- How to prepare bananas
- How to make the best banana bread
- Storing Tip
- Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?
- how to keep the banana bread moist
- Can you freeze banana bread?
- Banana Bread FAQs
- Watch Video: The BEST Banana Bread
- Best Banana Bread Recipe
First, a quick disclaimer. I’m guilty of claiming some of my recipes the best of the best. I do realize that it’s quite subjective. But I promise you, I don’t take this term lightly.
This banana bread recipe has been my go-to since 2013! And yes, I tried other recipes too, but I always come back to this one. I wouldn’t be lying if I said I make this quick bread recipe almost weekly and it never lasts more than 3 days!
And more than 3 dozens of readers confirm my claim! (Just scroll through the comments…)
What makes this the best moist banana bread recipe
Extra-moist, not too dense, but not fluffy either, this quick bread is truly the best!
Here’re 3 reasons you’ll love this recipe:
- basic ingredients – sugar, butter, flour, eggs, baking soda and bananas, obvi.
- no mixer required – just grab a large bowl and wooden spoon!
- totally customizable – add whatever add-ins you’d like, chocolate chips, nuts, anything!
The secret to moist banana bread
So, the secret to the moistest bread is frozen bananas!
You may have heard that super ripe bananas are key, and that’s definitely true.
However, over the years, I found that frozen over-ripe bananas turn a good banana bread into i-can’t-stop-eating-it kind!
Why?
Because when thawed, bananas get super mushy and liquid-y. And all that juices are gold! Don’t throw out the liquid, it makes the bread moist and flavorful.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Frozen bananas – are key in this recipe for moistest and most flavorful banana bread. Be sure to freeze ripe or over-ripe bananas. You’ll need about 3.5-4 cups of mashed bananas. Do NOT discard juices from thawed banana, use everything to make the batter.
- Sugar – Use granulated sugar. I don’t recommend reducing the sugar amount any further for proper texture.
- Flour – Use unbleached all-purpose flour for the best texture.
- Baking powder – is the main leavening agent for a tall and fluffy bread
- Baking soda – is added for browning the bread. Without it, the bread comes out pale.
- Add-ins – Feel free to add chopped pecans or walnuts, or even chocolate chips.
How to prepare bananas
When you get nice and ripe bananas with lots of dark spots all over, put them in the freezer. (And yes, black bananas are totally ok to use!)
Ideally, you’d want to peel the bananas before freezing. Call it lazy, but I never do that!
Instead, I just stick a cluster of ripe bananas, peels and all, straight into the freezer.
How to thaw frozen bananas:
- Run hot tap water over the frozen bananas in a sink for 1-2 minutes.
- Peel the skin when it softens and place the peeled bananas in a microwave-safe bowl.
- Microwave until bananas are completely thawed, about 3 minutes.
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!
If you already mashed your bananas before freezing (kuddos to you!), you’ll need about 4 cups of mashed bananas.
How to make the best banana bread
Ok, now that the bananas are ready, let’s get baking!
- Make the batter: mash the bananas, add sugar, butter and vanilla extract, and then stir in eggs. Lastly, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Optional, add chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
- Bake: divide the batter into 2 greased bread pans. I use glass bread pans, but any bread pan would work. Bake for 50-60 minutes.
choose the right bowl
Use a very large bowl to make the batter. I use a 4qt bowl (the largest bowl of this set).
To check the doneness
Insert a long wooden skewer or a toothpick. If it comes out clean, the bread is done!
You can also make this recipe into muffins too!
And if you’d rather make half a batch (just 1 loaf, or 12 muffins), follow my banana muffin recipe instead. It’s the same recipe, but for a half batch.
Storing Tip
Does banana bread need to be refrigerated?
Technically, you don’t have to refrigerate banana breads.
- Cover the bread and keep it on the counter for 1-2 days.
However, I always put them in the fridge. Mostly to keep them out of sight, or they’ll be gone in matter of hours.
how to keep the banana bread moist
Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container.
To serve, I microwave a slice for 30 seconds or so, and it’ll taste like fresh out of oven!
Can you freeze banana bread?
This bread also freezes well.
- Wrap the cooled bread well in plastic and put it in a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
To thaw, transfer the bread into the fridge overnight.
Banana Bread FAQs
About 2 medium bananas make 1 cup of mashed bananas.
Banana bread can last up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to 3 months.
Bananas are ready for making a banana bread when they start to soften and small black dots start to appear.
Hope you’ll try this recipe soon. And please snap a photo and share it on Instagram. Don’t forget to tag me @shineshka, so I can see it too!
Thank you!!
Watch Video: The BEST Banana Bread
Best Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 8 frozen medium-to-large bananas Note 1
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter melted
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1- 1 ½ cups (120-180 g) chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Peel and thaw frozen bananas in a microwave. Reserve all the juices and everything.
- Prepare two 9×5-inch bread pan and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mash the thawed bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth.
- Add sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract. Using a wooden spoon, mix everything until combined.
- Then add flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine.
- Optional, add chopped 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.
Tips & Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on February 13th, 2013 and it was last updated on May 4th, 2020.
I have tried following your recipe twice but both times they came out really dry. I am not sure what went wrong. I guess we need to add more butter or perhaps buttermilk?
Hi, Jay. Sorry to hear, yours didn’t turn out well. I’m actually surprised that yours turn out dry, I’ve never had that happen to me. How are you measuring your flour?
This is my go to recipe for the BEST banana bread! I love this recipe!!!
Aww, thank you so much, Terri. So glad you love it!!
why do you freeze the Bananas? What does it do you you? I have “ripe” bananas I was going to use.
Hi, David. I throw my ripe bananas straight to the freezer, because I never seem to be up for baking when they’re on the verge of going bad. Also I feel like thawed bananas yield moister banana bread.
This sounds amazing, can’t wait to make it. I keep mashed bananas in the freezer in 1 cup measurements. How much do you think 1 banana equals?
Oh boy, I personally don’t know. But I just googled it to see if I can find an answer, and found this. Looks like there are 3 bananas in 1 cup. So I think you could go with 3 cups of mashed bananas.
Hi, recipe calls for 8 banana how many cups is that Please? Thankyou Mara T
Hi, Mara. I never measured how many cups 8 frozen bananas measured. But next time I’ll measure and update the recipe accordingly. Thanks!
In her prior reply she said one cup of mashed bananas equal 3 whole bananas, therefore if your recipe requires 8 bananas you would use 2 2/3 cups of mashed bananas.
It woùld depend on sise of bananas.
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.
Try Splenda. Measures equally to sugar cup for cup and you can’t taste the difference. Also, it’s made from bananas.
Have you tried this recipe with splenda? Im worried it might has an after-taste which I really hate
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!