Classic Banana Bread

Although I have a lot of variations of banana bread on this site, I have never posted a classic, straightforward recipe for banana bread until now.

I always end up with leftover, overripe bananas, and made too much banana bread before I started this blog. I like banana bread but not as much as Alex does, and didn't want to revisit it to write about it.

But recently I wanted to make regular, plain ol' banana bread to take to a lunch playdate to feed a lot of kids. And man, was it fantastic. I've been depriving myself.

What makes this banana bread great? It's a simple, one-bowl recipe made with half whole what flour, giving us a moist bread with lots of flavor.

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Jump to:

• A Brief History of Banana Bread
• How to Make Great Banana Bread
• Ingredients
• Serving Banana Bread
• 📖 Recipe

A Brief History of Banana Bread

Did you realize that banana bread is the most searched for recipe on the Internet? (At least, that's what King Arthur Flour says.)

According to King Arthur Flour, the popularity of banana bread arose during the Great Depression, when people refused to throw out even overripe/"rotten" produce. The article then describes how the bread has changed to suit the tastes of each decade. Interesting stuff - to me, at least.

Originally, banana bread was much more bread-like in nature (much lower in fat and sugar) than what we experience now. I've always thought that banana bread was more of a loaf cake (like a pound cake), but apparently that wasn't always the case.

How to Make Great Banana Bread

This recipe originally came from the Betty Crocker Cookbook (affiliate link), but I've made some changes to it along the way.

How have I made it better? I added in some whole grain, for one thing. But that's not the best part!

It's now a one-bowl recipe - no electric mixer required. Just mix everything together, put it in a loaf pan, and bake it.

The first step is lowering your oven rack to the bottom position before you preheat the oven. Why? This 9x5 inch loaf is so dense, it bakes best close to the heating element. I'm not always such a stickler, but don't skip this.

Making the batter is simple. First, mash your overripe bananas. You can use a fork, but really a sturdy potato masher (affiliate link) is most efficient. I use mine for mashing up beans for tacos as well.

Next, use a whisk to mix in all the remaining wet ingredients.

Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients. Your batter may be lumpy, and that's ok. Make sure there's no clumps of flour, but otherwise don't overmix.

Pour your batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan, and bake at 350F for 75 minutes. I have a shiny natural aluminum 9x5 inch loaf pan (affiliate link) from Nordicware that I love, and it bakes perfectly in this. Glass pans or darker pans will bake differently.

Let your baked bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack to release extra steam. This is very important. Do it too soon, and your bread may stick. If you don't turn it out, your loaf will be soggy. (It's amazing how much steam condenses on my counter under the cooling rack!)

Cool bread for a few hours before serving. If it's evening and you don't want to cut it until morning, place the completely cooled bread back in the loaf pan and cover with a clean, folded kitchen towel. (Because I haven't cut it yet, mine has never dried out from storing it this way.) I recommend cutting it with a serrated bread knife (affiliate link), for the neatest lines and fewest crumbs.

Ingredients

Why use overripe bananas? They are starchier and have more moisture than perfectly ripe bananas, which makes your bread more moist. Also, they're easier to mash.

When my bananas become overripe, I stick them in the fridge, where they will keep for a few extra days without ripening further. If I haven't used them by then, I peel them and store them in a freezer bag. Then I can thaw them to bake with, whenever I'd like.

The original recipe originally took melted butter, but I've substituted in oil. (In my experience, melted butter always clumps up when it hits cold ingredients.) I use yogurt in the batter because I always have some around, but you can use buttermilk, or milk with 2 teaspoons of vinegar/lemon juice instead.

I make this with half whole wheat flour, which you don't even notice. I like to toss in some oats for some of the flour, but you can use all-purpose or whole wheat flour instead.

Some people love nuts in their banana bread. Feel free to add some! I recommend walnuts if using.

Serving Banana Bread

Banana bread stays moist for days. I cut mine up and store it in an airtight container. The top crust softens so it loses its delightful crunch, but otherwise the bread is still delicious.

This dense, moist bread is slightly sweet and full of flavor, so I eat it plain. That said, I know some people serve it with a dab of butter on it. You also couldn't go wrong with peanut butter or hazelnut spread! How do you eat your banana bread?

Want other recipes for leftover bananas? Try Banana Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting or Yeasted Banana Sandwich Bread.

Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.

Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)

📖 Recipe