Description
This classic Banana Bread recipe delivers a moist, flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or a snack. Made with ripe bananas, warm cinnamon, and a tender crumb, it’s easy to prepare and satisfies the sweet tooth without being overly sugary.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1⅓ cups mashed bananas (about 4 small bananas)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened, or vegetable oil)
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mash Bananas: Mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork until you have about 1⅓ cups of mashed banana.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer on medium speed to beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes fluffy, around 2 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, mixing well after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla extract followed by the mashed bananas.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to overbake to maintain moistness.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Using ripe bananas with brown spots ensures maximum sweetness and moisture.
- For a healthier version, substitute half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- You can add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the batter for extra texture and flavor.
- Store banana bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- To keep the bread moist longer, wrap it in plastic wrap and then foil before storing.
