Banana Bread
This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy. Say hello to your new favorite banana bread. This easy recipe bakes up with a tender crumb, rich flavor, and an irresistibly crisp crust. It’s a keeper. “Best banana bread I’ve ever made! But it’s dangerous—I steal a slice each time I’m in the kitchen! Next up is Jenn’s pumpkin bread.” What You’ll Need To Make Banana Bread All-purpose flour, baking soda & baking powder: These dry ingredients give the bread structure and lift. For best results with the flour, scoop it into your measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife. Unsalted butter, sugar & large eggs: This trio brings richness, sweetness, and structure. The butter should be close to room temperature so that it’s soft enough to blend with the sugar. The eggs help bind everything together. Ripe bananas: Provide moisture, natural sweetness, and big banana flavor—the riper, the better. They should be dark yellow with lots of brown spots, or even fully brown. (Pro Tip: To ripen quickly, bake bananas in their peels at 250°F for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and blackened. Extra-ripe bananas freeze well too—just peel and store in a freezer bag until you’re ready to thaw and mash.) Lemon & vanilla extract: Lemon juice brightens things up and helps with lift, and vanilla adds a warm finishing note. Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements All-purpose flour, baking soda & baking powder: These dry ingredients give the bread structure and lift. For best results with the flour, scoop it into your measuring cup with a spoon and level it off with a knife. Unsalted butter, sugar & large eggs: This trio brings richness, sweetness, and structure. The butter should be close to room temperature so that it’s soft enough to blend with the sugar. The eggs help bind everything together. Ripe bananas: Provide moisture, natural sweetness, and big banana flavor—the riper, the better. They should be dark yellow with lots of brown spots, or even fully brown. (Pro Tip: To ripen quickly, bake bananas in their peels at 250°F for 15 to 20 minutes until soft and blackened. Extra-ripe bananas freeze well too—just peel and store in a freezer bag until you’re ready to thaw and mash.) Lemon & vanilla extract: Lemon juice brightens things up and helps with lift, and vanilla adds a warm finishing note. Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements Step-by-Step Instructions Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. It’s important to whisk thoroughly; this distributes the leaveners evenly, so the loaf rises uniformly. Step 2: Cream butter and sugar. In the bowl of an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Creaming incorporates air into the batter, which helps the bread bake up light instead of dense. Step 3: Beat in the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time and beat the mixture well after each addition. Step 4: Add the bananas and flavorings. Mix in the mashed bananas, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Step 5: Mix in the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Don’t over mix. (Overmixing develops the gluten and can make the bread tough instead of tender.) Step 6: Bake. Pour the batter from the mixing bowl into the prepared loaf pan, using a rubber spatula to get everything out of the bowl. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Step 7: Cool and store. Let the bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Banana bread will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days; freeze for longer storage. Video Tutorial More Quick Bread Recipes You May Like RecipeComments (780)Add Comment Recipe Comments (780) Add Comment Ingredients 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas, from 2-3 large bananas 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1¾ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened ¾ cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas, from 2-3 large bananas 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract Instructions Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5-inch metal loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well. It will look a little curdled at this point; that's okay. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5-inch metal loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well. It will look a little curdled at this point; that's okay. Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. Nutrition Information Powered by Per serving (12 servings) Serving size: 1 slice Calories: 208 Fat: 9 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 30 g Sugar: 14 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g Sodium: 394 mg Cholesterol: 51 mg Per serving (12 servings) Serving size: 1 slice Calories: 208 Fat: 9 g Saturated fat: 5 g Carbohydrates: 30 g Sugar: 14 g Fiber: 1 g Protein: 3 g Sodium: 394 mg Cholesterol: 51 mg This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. See more recipes: Bread RecipesBreads, Cakes & BunsBreakfast & BrunchFreezer-FriendlyMake-AheadSnacksAmerican Bread Recipes Breads, Cakes & Buns Breakfast & Brunch Freezer-Friendly Make-Ahead Snacks American