The Perfect Banana Bread Recipe
This is THE BEST banana bread recipe – easy to make, moist banana bread that is crisp on the outside and loaded with flavor. One bowl, no mixer required! This is the ONLY banana bread recipe you'll ever need! Only have one banana? Try my small batch one banana muffins!
Michele said: “This is my most favorite banana bread recipe! I love it so much. It came out perfectly in a bundt pan. We added walnuts and extra dark chocolate… YUM! Also, your trick to ripen bananas worked perfectly. <3 Thanks, Leslie! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐“
I spent literal years trying to come up with the perfect banana bread recipe, and after many, many iterations of this recipe, I finally found the perfect combination! This is a moist banana bread recipe, but not heavy. It's flavorful, but not loaded with sugar. The top has just the right amount of crunch, and the whole thing smells amazing.
I'm not a fan of bananas in general, but good lord do I love this banana bread. There's something about the aroma that is so calming and comforting. Somehow, over the years, banana bread became my go-to comfort food.
Side note: Does Yankee Candle make a banana bread scent? I'm going to look into that, ASAP. (Okay, I looked, and they don't – but this company does!)
Key Ingredients
- Banana – Because, you know, banana bread! You want them to be very ripe, and will need about 3 medium bananas.
- Eggs – Make sure they're room temperature as that makes them easier to incorporate into the batter.
- Buttermilk – I really don't recommend swapping this for anything else. If you don't have any, the good news is it's super easy to make your own buttermilk if you have milk and vinegar or lemon juice around.
- Unsalted butter – I always call for unsalted butter because I want to control the amount of salt in my recipes. You can also swap it for canola oil or greek yogurt.
- Pure vanilla extract – This really rounds out the flavor of the whole thing nicely.
- Light brown sugar – I know some folks have had good results with dark brown sugar or coconut sugar, but I haven't tried those personally.
- All-purpose flour – I haven't tried it with alternatives like almond flour, but if you do let me know how it goes!
- Baking soda – The baking soda will interact with the acid in the buttermilk to give the loaf moisture and rise.
- Salt – I only add a pinch of table salt as I want the sweetness of the ripe bananas to shine through.
- Ground cinnamon – This is optional, but I really love the addition of cinnamon for the overall flavor.
How to make a simple banana bread recipe
Step 1: In a large bowl, mash banana to remove as many of the lumps as possible. If desired, run through a food processor or blender for a couple of seconds.
Step 2: Add eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.
Step 3: Add brown sugar and whisk again until well combined.
Step 4: Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, and whisk until just combined.
Step 5: Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on rack in the lower third of the oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Step 6: Leaving loaf in the pan, place it on a wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes. Invert and carefully remove the loaf and place it back on the wire rack to cool completely.
The best kind of bananas for banana bread
You want to make perfect banana bread? Well, if you're making banana bread, so guess what the most critical ingredient is? The bananas! Having the ripest bananas possible is going to be the key to your success.
The darker the peel is, the more ripe and sweet it is. You want the bananas to be practically black for optimal flavor. They're going to be falling apart when you peel them – and that's perfect! You've probably heard them referred to as overripe bananas.
I find that I can tell when they're almost ready to go because my whole pantry smells like bananas. And while it's not my favorite scent, it sure does make it easy to know when to use them.
Oh, no – my bananas aren't ripe!
You have a couple of options:
- Offset the flavor by tweaking the other ingredients. Because the bananas won't be as flavorful or sweet, you can add another few tablespoons of brown sugar and another pinch of salt to help with the overall flavor profile.
- You can quickly ripen the bananas by placing them on a foil-lined baking sheet and baking them at 300°F for 15 minutes, or until the peels are black. Let them cool, then add them to the bowl and start mashing!
Tips for making the best banana bread
- Make sure your bananas are ripe. Like I mentioned above, I'm talking about the darkest bananas possible – or at the very least, yellow with streaks of brown on the peel. The riper they are, the more flavor and sweetness they're going to add.
- If you're not a fan of small banana chunks in your bread, you can blend the bananas instead of just mashing them. But for banana lovers, a good old-fashioned mashing is all it takes.
- When I say that you need to coat the pan with nonstick spray, I mean it. Make sure you cover every inch to ensure your loaf comes out easily when it's done.
- Don't have buttermilk handy? The good news is it's super easy to make your own buttermilk if you have milk and vinegar or lemon juice around.
Banana bread flavor variations
- Add some crunch! I don't add nuts to mine when I make it, but I know lots of people love the added crunch of walnuts. If you're into that sort of thing, toss 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts into the batter, and maybe sprinkle some on top, too – you know, for good measure. Voila – you've got banana nut bread!
- Want to add fresh blueberries? Toss 1 1/2-2 cups fresh blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of all-purpose flour to coat, then gently fold into the batter at the end of step 5.
- Try adding cranberries and lemon. Add 1 1/2 cups cranberries and 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest.
- You can't go wrong with chocolate chips, either. Add 1/2 cup milk, and semisweet or dark chocolate chips.
- Drizzle the top with peanut butter! Warm a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter in the microwave and then drizzle it on top of the baked loaf.
Can you use a banana bread recipe for muffins?
Heck yeah, you can! Use this same recipe, but instead of a loaf pan, fill muffin tin cups 3/4 full and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then turn the oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake for another 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are set and golden.
How do you keep banana bread moist?
To make sure you have moist banana bread and that it doesn't dry out, you should always wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Even better? Wrap it and stick it in a covered container.
That crack down the middle of freshly baked bread is what I live for. It's imperfectly perfect, and that's exactly the way I like it. I know lots of people like to lie a thin slice of banana down the top, but I'm not about that life.
Does banana bread freeze well?
Yes! Make sure your loaf has cooled completely, and then wrap each loaf tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and then put it in a large resealable bag and seal it tightly.
Place in your freezer for up to 2 months.
To defrost, remove the loaf from the plastic bag, unwrap it, and let set on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature (about 3 hours).
FAQs
Offset the flavor by tweaking the other ingredients. Because the bananas won't be as flavorful or sweet, you can add another few tablespoons of brown sugar and another pinch of salt to help with the overall flavor profile. You can quickly ripen the bananas by placing them on a foil-lined baking sheet and baking them at 300°F for 15 minutes, or until the peels are black. Let them cool, then add them to the bowl and start mashing!
Absolutely not! The darker the peel is, the more ripe and sweet it is. You want the bananas to be practically black for optimal flavor. They're going to be falling apart when you peel them – and that's perfect! You've probably heard them referred to as overripe bananas.
For my banana bread recipe, the ingredients are: bananas, eggs, buttermilk, melted butter, vanilla extract, light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
I wouldn't call it healthy, but it's certainly better than sitting down with an entire sheet cake.
I avoid it if I can. To make sure you have moist banana bread and that it doesn't dry out, you should always wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, aluminum foil, or store it in an airtight container. Even better? Wrap it and stick it in a covered container.
Yes! Make sure your loaf has cooled completely, and then wrap each loaf tightly in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and then put it in a large resealable bag and seal it tightly. Place in your freezer for up to 2 months. To defrost, remove the loaf from the plastic bag, unwrap it, and let set on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature (about 3 hours).
I don't find the crack on top to be a bad thing – in fact, it's one of my favorite parts of this recipe! The crack happens when the loaf is starting to set in the oven, but continues to rise more.
Golden brown color is good, but if it's dark brown that's usually a sign that there was too much baking soda included (aka: it was overmeasured). It can also happen if you use a dark loaf pan and your oven runs a bit hot.
If you use too much flour or not enough liquid ingredients, or the loaf is baked too long, the banana bread could turn out dry.
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The Best Recipe for Moist Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed very ripe banana, about 3 medium bananas
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- ⅓ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted, canola oil, or greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt
- pinch of ground cinnamon, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F and spray a 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mash banana to remove as many of the lumps as possible. If desired, run through a food processor or blender for a couple seconds.1 cup (150 g) mashed very ripe banana
- Add eggs, buttermilk, butter or oil, vanilla and whisk until well combined.2 eggs1/3 cup (80 g) buttermilk1/2 cup (113 ½ g) unsalted butter, melted1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Add brown sugar and whisk again until well combined.1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
- Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon, and whisk until just combined.1 3/4 cup (218 ¾ g) all purpose flour1 teaspoon baking sodapinch saltpinch of ground cinnamon
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake on rack in the lower third of the oven for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Leaving loaf in the pan, place on wire rack to cool for 15-20 minutes. Invert and carefully remove loaf and place back on wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice into 8 pieces and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don't have buttermilk handy? You can substitute 1/3 scant cup whole milk mixed with 1 teaspoon of white vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice. Just stir the two to mix, and let sit on the counter for 5-10 minutes before using.
- If you're not a fan of small banana chunks in your bread, you can blend the bananas instead of just mashing them.
- For a crunch, add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts into the batter, and maybe sprinkle some on top, too.
- Want to add fresh berries? Toss 2 cups fresh blueberries in 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour to coat, then gently fold into the batter at the end of step 5.
- Make sure you cover every inch of your loaf pan with nonstick spray to ensure your loaf comes out easily when it's done.
- Storage: To make sure your banana bread doesn't dry out, you should always wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, tin foil, or store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Even better? Wrap it and stick it in a covered container.
- To freeze, wrap each completely cooled loaf tightly in a couple layers of plastic wrap and then put it in a large resealable bag and seal tightly. To defrost, remove the loaf from the plastic bag, unwrap, and let set on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature (about 3 hours).
- To make muffins, fill muffin tin cups 3/4 full and bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then turn the oven temperature down to 350°F. Bake for another 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and tops are set and golden.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.
Can I use bread flour? On lockdown, that’s what I have.
Unfortunately, I actually wouldn’t recommend that. Since banana bread is actually more like cake than bread, the bread flour will give it a different consistency that’s not what you’re really looking for in a moist loaf of banana bread.
The best banana bread n muffins I ever made . Used pecans on my banana bread n chocolate chips on the muffins. Both turned our sore good crispy on the outside n super moist on the inside so yummy .. thanks so much for all the helpful tips it does make a finger lickin banana bread.. I’m sharing this information to my family n friends .. awesome5 stars
I’m so glad you liked it – thanks so much for the rating and comment to share your experience, I really appreciate it!
My new go- to recipe. Love that it is all in one bowl!
That’s one of my favorite parts about it, too – thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and rating! <3
I didn’t have buttermilk so I used heavy cream and 2 TBSP of butter. I also added a praline pecan topping. Fantastic.
So glad you liked it – thanks for coming back to leave a comment and rating!
On lock down so limited stuff…. was concerned with using baking soda so used baking powder, not enough brown sugar so had to use a tad of white sugar, had to make the buttermilk using the last of the vinegar…. my house smells amazing and cannot wait to taste it! The batter was quite tasty though! Will follow up and let you know how it taste!
Sounds like you were resourceful – I hope you like it!
Thank you so much for this recipe. This is definitely going to be my one and only banana bread recipes. I had tried out dozens before but , this one is just perfect. My only addition to this recipe was a teaspoon of cinnamon . but that’s only because I love cinnamon. ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Sounds awesome – thanks so much for coming back to leave a comment and rating!
I plan to try your recipe for the banana bread, you put in baking soda and no baking powder, is this OK?
That’s correct, you can make the recipe as written as it’s tested and loved by many!
Better than any recipe I had previously used. This is delicious!!
Your comment is so appreciated – thank you for coming back to leave a comment and rating!
This is excellent Banana Nut Bread. I used melted butter instead of the canola oil, and added walnuts. It just gets better and better. Thank you for sharing!
So glad you enjoyed it – thank you for coming back to leave a comment and rating!
Good morning, please, if you can give the weight of dry ingredients…specifically flour. Either in ounces or grams. Thank you.
Take a look at this post with conversions – just scroll down near the bottom part of the post! https://stressbaking.com/volume-conversions-for-baking-recipe-ingredients/
can I substitute the oil for butter?
Yep, go ahead and substitute it for an equal amount of melted (and slightly cooled) butter!
I don’t have buttermilk, and since we are suffering from a COVID lockdown, I can’t run up to the store… is there an alternative?
Oops!! Just read the comments below.. I see the substitute now. Off to baking!! :-)
I’m right there with you – we’re out of just about everything ourselves right now!
I don’t know if you have any milk in the house at all, but if do you – measure out 1 cup of milk and then remove 1 Tablespoon of that milk, add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and give it a stir. Let it stand for about 5 minutes and you can use that as homemade buttermilk.
If you don’t have any milk at all, you can try 3/4 cup of plain yogurt mixed with 1/4 cup water if you have that – you’ll get a slightly different result, but still good.
The last one I know of is 1/2 cup sour cream mixed with 1/2 cup water.
I don’t know if any of these will work with what you have on hand, but I hope so!
Since we are on lockdown because of Coronavirus. I have been doing some serious baking. My house never smelled so good. I just took this banana bread out of the oven and it is so good. We couldn’t wait for it to cool completely. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I’m so glad you like it – thanks for coming back to leave a comment and a rating!
Oh my heavens. THANK YOU! I have tried over 20 different recipes for banana bread over the past six years and I have NEVER had one of them turn out. They’ve either been underdone or burnt on the outside. This was the one that finally worked and it was SO good!! Definitely going In my fave recipe book!
You made my day with your comment, I’m so glad you love it as much as I do. Thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment and a rating!
This really is the best banana bread ever. Even better with mini chocolate chips!
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review.
One of the best banana bread recipe I’ve tried! I added chocolate chips and almonds on top! ❤️❤️❤️ Thanks for sharing it
I’m so glad you like it! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review.