Best Banana Bread Recipe is so easy to make and super soft and moist! The very best way to use up overripe bananas this bread is tender and packed full of flavor!
Since I have already shared with you my family’s favorite Chocolate Chip Banana Bread it was time to give you my very best classic recipe as well! If you love all things banana, then make up these Banana Nut Muffins too, one bowl, so easy, so GOOD!
What Is The Best Banana Bread Recipe?
To make the very best banana bread that comes out super moist, it is important to start out with those ugly, overripe bananas! In the picture below you can see the bananas that I used for this recipe post. These bananas are just ripe enough to work with. They need to be a dark yellow with lots of browning. You can use bananas that are even darker than this! The riper the bananas, the more moist your bread will be and the more banana flavor it will have!
How Do You Keep Banana Bread Moist?
The best way to keep banana bread moist for days is to wrap it tightly! Once your bread is baked and cooled, I recommend wrapping tightly in plastic wrap. Then, take a second step and store it in a large zip top freezer bag or a plastic container with a tight fitting lid. Stored this way on the counter, your bread will last up to 3 days. If you’d like, you can store it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.
How to Make Banana Bread:
This recipe makes one loaf of banana bread. The first step is to preheat your oven and prepare a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter.
- Next, take a large bowl as seen below and whisk together your dry ingredients. This will include the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a separate bowl melt your butter in the microwave, then add in the bananas and mash until mostly smooth.
- Add your eggs and vanilla to your mashed banana mixer and use your fork to combine everything really well, until you no longer see any streaks of eggs.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula just until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Now, you are ready to pour your batter into your prepared pan and bake!
**NOTE: You can also mash your bananas with the melted butter in your stand mixer if preferred.
Can you Freeze Banana Bread?
Yes! If you’d like to freeze this then allow it to cool completely at room temperature on a plate or wire rack once it comes out of the oven. Once cool, wrap the bread in plastic wrap, then wrap in foil. Freeze the bread for up to 2 months for best results.
To thaw the bread, remove from the freezer and allow it to come to room temperature, covered on the counter. This will take about 24 hours.
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Best Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Stick (1/2 Cup) Butter
- 3 Large Ripe Bananas
- 2 Large Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray or grease with butter and set aside.
- Add the stick of butter to a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute, or until melted.
- Add the bananas to the same bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add the vanilla extract and egg to the bowl and use the same fork to mash and stir until no yellow streaks of egg remain.
- In a second large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together with a spatula just until combined.
- Pour the batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Decided to surprise my hubby and make Banana Bread, so the first thing he smells this morning when he wakes up is fresh banana bread to enjoy with his morning coffee. I picked this recipe because 1) it’s rated five stars; and 2) it uses baking soda instead of powder. I always felt something was lacking with other banana bread recipes – and this may be the key to a better bread.
I make my own vanilla extract, vanilla sugar, vanilla bean powder and vanilla bean paste, so I used the vanilla sugar and vanilla bean paste (1 tsp.) in this recipe. Someone suggested taking the vanilla out of the recipe altogether, but I do not recommend removing it, but rather adding another teaspoon of vanilla extract to enhance the flavors even more.
I’ve been cooking 50 years, so I knew this would be a tasty banana bread for us to enjoy. Thank you for posting it and I look forward to looking into making some of your other recipes.
I just used this recipe yesterday and it made the PERFECT banana bread. I ended up adding chocolate chips to mine, but it is perfectly moist in the center but not over baked. Yum!! Thank you so much.
Easy to make and tastes delicious
My family loves this banana bread. I make a few simple changes that suit us, but the base recipe is 5 stars. I swap half the sugar for dark brown sugar (so half a cup), I measure the cinnamon with my heart, and then after it’s in the pan I’ll add either chocolate chips or chopped Walnuts. It’s always gone within a day.
I make the recipe exactly as written except with one addition. I add 1/2 cup of buttermilk with the wet ingredients. I bake the bread for the full 55 minutes. This is an excellent recipe.
The best banana bread I’ve ever made. I did add nutmeg in lieu of a lil cinnamon, but that’s a personal preference. It’s delicious.
I put 1 cup of butter instead of 1/2 cup of butter. Turns out a little bit too buttery but really good
Our family has been using your recipe for many years. It is the best banana bread recipe! Thank you so much for sharing it with anyone that wants to use it, so kind of you!
Sincerely,
Nichole
It turn out great! Everyone loved it.
You don’t add baking powder??