How To Make Banana Bread
Delicious Banana Bread
This banana bread has been the most popular recipe on Simply Recipes for over a decade. Thousands of people do it every day.
The beauty of this banana bread recipe is that it doesn’t require a fancy mixer! All you need is a mixing bowl, a fork to whisk the eggs, and a sturdy spoon to mix the batter. The amount of sugar is adjustable. The original recipe called for a cup of white sugar, but most people, including myself, prefer 3/4 cup, and many prefer 1/2 cup.
If you want, add a cup of chopped nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, or bake the batter in muffin tins to make banana nut muffins. You can even go the extra mile and make chocolate banana bread.
Bread with Bananas
Time to prepare: 10 min.
Time to cook: 60 min.
Time to complete: 70 min.
Servings: 8–10 servings
Yield: 1 loaf
NOTE: This recipe does not require the use of a mixer. Cleaning up is also simple. You can combine everything in one bowl if you prefer.
This recipe requires an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. Bake for 47 to 57 minutes if using an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes if using a 9 x 5-inch pan. It should be noted that the larger pan size will result in a flatter loaf.
Overripe bananas are ideal for making banana bread. The yellow peels should be half-brown, and the bananas should be squishy and brown on the inside.
Ingredients
1. 2 to 3 medium (7″ to 7-7/8″ long) peeled very ripe bananas (approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
2. 1/3 cup (76g) melted unsalted or salted butter
3. A half teaspoon of baking soda (not baking powder)
4. 1 tsp salt
5. 3/4 cup (150g) sugar (1/2 cup if you want it less sweet, 1 cup if you want it sweeter)
6. 1 large beaten egg
7. A tsp vanilla extract
8. 1 1/2 cups (205g) universal flour
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and prepare the pan as follows: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. Mash the bananas and stir in the butter: Mash the ripe bananas with a fork in a mixing bowl until completely smooth. Combine the mashed bananas with the melted butter.
3. Incorporate the remaining ingredients: baking soda and salt. In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Incorporate the flour.
4. Bake the bread: Pour the batter into the loaf pan that has been prepared. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Wet batter streaks are not acceptable; a few dry crumbs are. If the outside of the loaf has browned but the center is still wet, tent with foil and continue baking until the loaf is fully baked.
5. Remove from the oven and set aside for a few minutes before serving. After that, remove the banana bread from the pan and set it aside to cool completely before serving. Cut into slices and serve. (A bread knife is useful for cutting non-crumbly slices.)
If tightly wrapped, the banana bread will keep at room temperature for 4 days. For longer storage, refrigerate or freeze the loaf for up to 5 days.
