Our Greatest Banana Bread Recipe – A Couple Cooks

Our Greatest Banana Bread Recipe – A Couple Cooks


This simple banana bread recipe is just one of the best! This moist, candy, golden fast bread is a kitchen important.

Banana bread is a kitchen staple, and we’re assured this one must make its manner into your recipe rotation. This simple banana bread recipe makes use of only one bowl and customary pantry components to make the perfect loaf. It bakes up golden, moist, completely candy and scented with a touch of cinnamon. There’s no want for secret components: simply ripe bananas and quarter-hour. Right here’s learn how to make banana bread and concepts for learn how to customise it with mix-ins, glazes, and extra!

Elements on this simple banana bread recipe

Banana bread is an previous American customary: it began showing the 1930’s in cookbooks when dwelling cooks had entry to baking powder and bananas. It could have stemmed from the Nice Despair as a . Over time, it’s develop into as important to American tradition as apple pie. It’s the preferred manner to make use of ripe bananas in baked items.

This banana bread recipe makes use of frequent pantry components to make a moist, candy loaf. Some recipes embody methods like bitter cream so as to add moisture, however this recipe doesn’t want it. Right here’s what you want for one of the best banana bread:

  • Very ripe bananas
  • Eggs
  • Granulated and brown sugar
  • Melted butter or
  • Vanilla extract
  • Baking soda
  • Cinnamon

Use very ripe bananas

The important thing to one of the best banana bread is utilizing very ripe bananas. Bananas with a blackened peel deliver added moisture, sweetness, and pure fruity taste to baked items like bread, , , cookies, cake, and extra.

  • Don’t use unripe bananas! The peel ought to have a considerable amount of black spots, or be uniformly black in shade.
  • If the bananas have mould on the peel, don’t use them. Bananas with mould or these leaking liquid must be discarded.
  • You possibly can freeze very ripe bananas and use them in baked items later. In case you don’t have time to us very ripe bananas, by peeling them and slicing into rounds. You need to use them later for bread, muffins and extra: simply make certain to incorporate the liquid that separates from the fruit within the batter.

Butter vs oil in banana bread

This banana bread recipe makes use of melted butter within the batter, which makes it simple to make in a single bowl with no mixer required! Listed below are just a few notes on butter versus oil in breads:

  • Butter lends a richer taste and makes a extra even crumb. Utilizing a dairy fats brings a young, even crumb and texture to a .
  • Oil makes it even moister, and works instead. The feel is a bit spongier with oil, but it surely works nicely! You possibly can substitute a like vegetable or grapeseed for the butter right here.
  • Or, you should use a mix of the 2. Utilizing half butter and half oil additionally has nice outcomes.

One other professional to utilizing butter: prepare dinner it a couple of minutes longer when melting to make , which provides a toasty, caramel taste to the bread. Vegan butter additionally works instead.

Pan measurement variations

This banana bread recipe works for each 9 x 5″ and eight x 4″ pan sizes with a slight modification. Listed below are just a few notes:

  • 8 x 4 pan: This pan measurement works nicely when you solely have 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (and never 2 cups, as known as for within the recipe under). You can also make this recipe in an 8 x 4″ loaf pan utilizing 1 ½ cups bananas and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour. Watch the bake time and alter accordingly.
  • 9 x 5″ pan: Make the recipe as written under for a 9 x 5″ loaf pan. You can even make it with 1 ½ cups bananas and flour, but it surely is not going to be as tall in form. Once more, alter the bake time accordingly.

How you can know when banana bread is finished

The one difficult half about baking fast breads like this banana bread recipe is learn how to know when they’re achieved. Listed below are just a few visible cues to search for:

  • Banana bread is finished when the highest is about and comes again, and a tooth choose inserted comes out with just a few clinging crumbs. The toothpick check doesn’t must be totally clear! In truth, if it comes out clear the bread could also be overdone.
  • The bread is cooked when the inner temperature is 200°F. You can even insert the probe of a meals thermometer to evaluate when the bread is cooked by.

Banana bread variations: mix-ins and toppings

Banana bread is a canvas for infinite variations! Listed below are just a few concepts for additions to this banana bread recipe:

  • Toasted nuts: Fold ½ cup or into the batter.
  • Chocolate chips: Fold ¾ cup semi-sweet or darkish chocolate chips into the batter, then prime with one other ¼ cup.
  • Blueberries: Toss 1 ½ cups blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour, then fold them into the batter (the flour helps to forestall sinking).
  • Cinnamon sugar topping: Combine 2 tablespoons granulated or brown sugar with ½ teaspoon floor cinnamon, and sprinkle it throughout the highest.
  • Streusel topping: Combine ¼ cup sugar, ¼ cup flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Reduce 2 tablespoons room temperature butter into small items, then use your fingers to rub it into the dry components till crumbles type. Sprinkle over the bread and bake. Cowl with foil at 30 to 45 minutes to forestall burning.
  • Brown butter: Make the bread with as an alternative of melted butter so as to add nutty and caramel notes.
  • Glazes: Permit the bread to chill totally, then drizzle with , or .
  • Frosting: Permit the bread to chill totally, then prime with .

Methods to serve banana bread

There are just a few inventive methods to serve banana bread if you wish to re-purpose leftovers. Attempt Banana Bread French Toast by chopping it into slices, then dipping it in an egg combination and frying it for breakfast. Or serve it as a dessert “a la mode” by topping a slice with ice cream, salted caramel sauce, and chopped pecans.

Dietary swaps

There are just a few methods to vary up a banana bread recipe to make it vegan or gluten-free! Listed below are just a few notes:

Banana bread storage

Banana bread holds up nicely over time. It lasts 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil or refrigerated for 10 days. You can even freeze it for as much as 3 months: slice it into items and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container.

Tell us what you consider this recipe within the feedback under. We hope you find it irresistible as a lot as our household does!

Extra banana bread recipes

This traditional recipe has many variations. Listed below are just a few extra to attempt:

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Description

This simple banana bread recipe is just one of the best! This moist, candy, golden fast bread is a kitchen important.


  • 2 cups* mashed ripe bananas (3 very massive or 5 medium bananas)
  • 2 massive eggs
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup melted butter** (or )
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¾ teaspoon
  • 2 cups [280 g] all-purpose flour
  • Non-obligatory combine ins: ½ cup chopped or , ¾ cup chocolate chips


  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 5″ loaf pan. Line the pan with a chunk of parchment paper, reduce in order that it extends on two sides to simply take away the bread from the pan.
  2. Mash the bananas within the backside of a giant bowl, sufficient for two cups. Whisk in the eggs. Swap to a spatula and stir within the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla extract.
  3. Stir within the baking soda, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Add the flour and gently stir till simply mixed and no streaks of flour stay. 
  4. Pour the batter into the ready loaf pan. Bake 55 to 60 minutes*, till the highest is about and a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out with just a few clinging crumbs (or the inner temperature is 200°F). 
  5. Cool within the pan for quarter-hour. Then run a knife across the edge and invert the loaf onto a cooling rack. Serve heat or at room temperature. (If desired, enable to chill totally and prime with a glaze.***)
  6. Storage information: The bread lasts 5 days at room temperature wrapped in aluminum foil, refrigerated for 10 days, or frozen for 3 months (slice it into items and wrap it in plastic wrap then a freezer-safe bag or container).

Notes

*In case you solely have 1 ½ cups mashed bananas, you may make this recipe in an 8 x 4″ loaf pan utilizing 1 ½ cups bananas and 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour. You can even make it with 1 ½ cups bananas and flour in a 9 x 5″ pan, but it surely is not going to be as tall in form. The bake time will range based mostly on pan measurement and batter quantity, so watch and alter accordingly.

**To make brown butter banana bread, after which cool it within the freezer for quarter-hour earlier than utilizing within the bread.

***Attempt , or . See the part above for notes about cinnamon sugar or streusel toppings. 

  • Class: Bread
  • Methodology: Baked
  • Delicacies: American
  • Weight loss plan: Vegetarian

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