Classic Banana Bread (Printable)
Moist banana loaf from overripe bananas, butter, and cinnamon — tender slices for breakfast or snacks.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 3 large overripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (or neutral oil)
04 - ½ cup granulated sugar
05 - ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - ½ teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
→ Optional Add-ins
11 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and well incorporated.
03 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly distributed.
04 - Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Gently fold together using a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix, as this will produce a dense, tough loaf.
05 - If desired, gently fold chopped nuts or chocolate chips into the batter until evenly dispersed.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula to create an even surface.
07 - Bake on the center rack for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
08 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into even portions.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The crumb stays incredibly moist for days, so you can bake on Sunday and still have a tender slice by Wednesday morning.
- It forgives almost every mistake, making it the most stress free baking project you will tackle all week.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter develops gluten and turns your tender loaf into something closer to a rubber brick, so a few lumps are perfectly fine.
- If the top starts browning too deeply before the center is set, tent a piece of foil over the pan and it will protect the crust while the inside finishes baking.
03 -
- Let your bananas ripen on the counter until they are fully black and you will be rewarded with a depth of flavor that no amount of extra sugar can replicate.
- Resist the urge to open the oven door before the 45 minute mark because sudden temperature drops cause the center to sink and never recover.