Description
A classic, moist, and flavorful banana bread recipe perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. This easy-to-make loaf is loaded with ripe bananas, a hint of vanilla, and a tender crumb, baked to golden perfection in a loaf pan.
Ingredients
Scale
Banana Bread Ingredients
- 2 to 3 medium (7″ to 7-7/8″ long) very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
- 1/3 cup (76g) butter, unsalted or salted, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (not baking powder)
- 1 pinch salt
- 3/4 cup (150g) sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (205g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8×4-inch loaf pan thoroughly to prevent sticking and set aside.
- Mash bananas and combine butter: In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas until fully combined.
- Add baking soda and salt: Mix in the baking soda and a pinch of salt to the banana mixture, which helps with leavening and flavor enhancement.
- Mix in sugar, egg, and vanilla: Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract into the banana mixture until well incorporated.
- Incorporate the flour: Gradually add the all-purpose flour into the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until the flour disappears and the batter is uniform. Avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
- Pour batter into pan and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bread: Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- You can adjust the sugar quantity to your preferred sweetness level: less sweet (1/2 cup), standard (3/4 cup), or sweeter (1 cup).
- Overripe bananas work best for the moistest banana bread with the most flavor.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter once flour is added to avoid tough bread.
- This banana bread is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for longer storage.
- You can add nuts or chocolate chips to the batter as optional mix-ins for extra texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th of loaf)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
