Easy Banana Bread Recipe

Name: Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 58 gm butter; 56 gm oil; 175 gm caster sugar; 25 gm brown sugar; 2 large overripe bananas; 2 eggs; 75 ml yogurt; 1 tsp vanilla (optional); 200 gm flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder; Pinch of salt

This banana bread loaf is not only easy to make but also very delicious, it has a moist and fluffy texture that is soft and has a tender crumb making it THE BEST recipe you will bake.

Ahhhh banana bread, the COVID 19 mascot recipe. It was all the rage during lockdown with copious amounts of overripe bananas, ample amount of time and lack of entertainment. This recipe was one of the Ninja Bake Along recipes during quarantine which means it is easy to make, there are multiple baking options and it has a variety of substitutes making it suitable and approachable for anyone and everyone to make.

If there was one recipe I would recommend to get you started in the kitchen as a baker it would have to be this recipe. There is something so beautiful about using over ripe bananas that you are going to throw away but turning it into this deliciously soft and moist banana bread is such an achievement – which is a good way to begin baking. Having said this if you are new to the blog, have a look at the ninja bake along page to know more about it and incase you don’t know, I love banana bread – this is not the only recipe on the blog however it is my classic go to recipe.

Before we get into this easy banana bread recipe let us answer some commonly asked questions about bananas and baking with them. Also, I know there are like a thousand banana bread recipes out there which are good if not great and you don’t need another recipe but trust me when I say the ease of this recipe will make you bake it on repeat! I now ensure to have over ripe bananas at least once a month to bake this recipe. Keep in mind this is a classic banana bread recipe, I have left out any additional flavors and add ins but you are welcome to turn this foundation recipe into any banana bread flavor of your choice, make sure to check the write up below for more inspiration.

Why is banana bread so moist?

Not a shocker here, the bananas add a lot of moisture to the batter. The riper the bananas, the better it is for your breads/cakes/baked goods. The moist texture cannot be achieved without those juicy overripe bananas.

What is banana bread made of?

Most often than not a banana bread recipe includes overripe bananas, sugar (could be brown or white), butter (or oil), eggs, yogurt/milk, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt. However they can also have add ons like vanilla, almond extract, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder, berries, chocolate chips, nuts etc.

Is banana bread healthy or unhealthy?

Believe it or not just because this recipe has banana in it that doesn’t mean it is healthier for you than other breads. Banana bread is similar to banana cake and contains eggs, sugar, butter/fat, flour, eggs. Having a slice wont hurt you but eating an entire loaf in one sitting will impact your calorie intake in the long run.

Commonly asked questions about baking banana bread:

What happens if I put too much banana in banana bread?

If you add an excess amount of bananas into your banana bread batter if will create more moisture in the bread making it difficult to bake thoroughly. The banana bread will be heavy, damp and sticky in the center. While the outside will be colored and baked through. It will be undercooked and not as appealing as banana brea should be.

Why is my banana cake rubbery?

The batter have been over mixed and the flour has now developed gluten and become dense. Also it could be that the ingredients we not weighed out accurately hence the cake is now rubbery. Make sure not to over bake the cake as well it can dry it out and make the final product rubbery once cooled.

Why is my banana bread not fluffy?

This could be a multiple set of reasons, the baking powder/baking soda is expired and didn’t work in the recipe. The banana bread batter was over mixed and hence has become dense instead of being fluffy. There wasn’t enough of structure in the batter from the flour hence the cake didn’t rise and get that fluffy texture. The oven was not preheated before baking the loaf.

How long does banana bread last?

Banana bread tates better with time but the fact that it has bananas in it means it cannot be stored for very long. I would always recommend storing bananas bread in an air tight container. If storing at room temperature – it should keep well for 2-3days in a dry, dark, space. If storing in the fridge the bread can last for up to 8 days.

Can I freeze banana bread?

Yes you can! I love doing this. So, when I have over ripe bananas, I either store them in zip lock bags or bake this recipe, slice it up once cooled, store a couple of slices in zip lock bags or boxes and freeze for up to 5 months. When I am ready to serve it, I take out a bag/box and reheat it in the toaster or the microwave for 20 seconds until warm. IT IS THE BEST DESSERT EVER!

What to eat with banana bread?

My go to accompaniment with a moist banana bread is butter and sea salt flakes. Simple and effective. However I am guilty of slathering it with peanut butter and jelly to make Elvis’s favorite flavor come alive again. I have also eaten it with chocolate spread (not a huge fan of this but I know a few people who absolutely love it). You could also serve it with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce to make it a complete dessert.

What ingredients do you need to make this Easy Banana Bread Recipe?

To make this moist banana bread recipe I have used over ripe bananas, white and brown sugar, eggs, butter, oil, yogurt, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon powder.

How to make this moist banana bread with oil?

You can just swap the butter for oil and use oil as the only fat in this banana bread recipe. It is even more tender but the flavor is not as delicious as with the addition of butter.

I don’t have overripe bananas, what to do?

We need overripe bananas to make this soft and fluffy banana bread recipe. I would suggest placing the bananas in a brown paper bag with another fruit and it should get darker in color over night. If you are looking for instant satisfaction, you can wrap the bananas in foil and bake them at 180℃ for 20-40 minutes depending on how ripe your bananas are to begin with. Remove from the foil, peel and use. I wouldn’t suggest microwaving the bananas as that can draw out the moisture – making your bread very dry. Some say to peel and cook it over the stove and it softens however I wouldn’t recommend it since want to preserve all those banana juices for my cake batter which adds more flavor to the final banana bread once baked.

What substitutes can you use to make this Easy Banana Bread Recipe?

Butter/Oil –

You can use butter or oil to make this recipe. I love the addition of both for flavor and texture. You can also use brown butter to amplify the flavor in this recipe. I prefer using a neutral oil or olive oil.

Sugar –

I have made this recipe with brown and white sugar but you can use either or. The brown sugar adds a delicious caramel like flavor to the banana bread while the white sugar adds a little crunch to the edges. I ahem also made this recipe with palm sugar and coconut sugar. During lockdown I made this banana bread with grated jaggery as well – was yummy! I have reduced the sugar to 3/4th of the amount at times with the bananas have been excessively sweet.

Eggs –

To keep this recipe eggless you can use 1/4 cup yogurt per egg or 1 flaxseed egg per egg which is 1 tbsp flaxseed powder mixed with 2 tbsp water and set aside to form a gel. I have also made this recipe with egg replacer powder (as per the packet instructions) and it works perfectly.

Yogurt –

Use any flavorless yogurt of your choice however you can use buttermilk, sour cream or milk mixed with lemon juice if you do not have yogurt.

Flour –

I have used all purpose flour here but you can use self raising flour and leave out the baking powder/baking soda to make this banana bread. You can also use a combination of oatflour and all purpose flour to make this healthier. I have made this recipe with a gluten free all purpose flour mix which works perfectly.

Add ons –

I have kept this recipe classic with a little addition of vanilla and cinnamon but you can add blueberries, chocolate chips, chopped strawberries, raspberries, lemon zest, orange zest, cardamom powder, etc.

What equipment do you need to make this Easy Banana Bread Recipe?

To make the banana bread batter we need a mixing bowl, fork, whisk, rubber spatula. I have blended my wet ingredients in a blender but you can mix this by hand as well. I have baked the banana bread in a 9 inch loaf tin lined with baking paper. You can bake it in an 8 inch tin as well (it would take longer to bake in this case, also I would reduce the temperature to allow the inside to bake at the same time as the outside or else the outside would burn).

How to make this Easy Banana Bread Recipe?

Preheat the oven to 180℃, line a 9 inch loaf tin with baking paper and brush with a little oil, set aside. In a blender add the bananas, eggs, yogurt, butter, oil, sugar, vanilla and blend until smooth. Pour into a large mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and whisk together until combined. Wee do not want any flour lumps in this batter so make sure it is smooth. Transfer the batter into your lined tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin until it is easier to handle and remove from the loaf tin, allow to cool on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

Baking options:

If you are baking the batter in a smaller tin keep in mind two things: it will take longer to bake and the batter might over flow depending on how deep the tin is. If you don’t have a large enough tin – bake the cake in two batches. This cake bakes in an 8×8 inch tin as well for 22 minutes. You can bake this batter into 24 cupcakes for 15 minutes. Alternatively if you don’t have an oven you can dry. Bake this cake over the stove by placing the cake tin in a larger stock pot covered with a lid that is preheat on medium heat, the cake tin should be sitting on a wire rack in the stock pot so it is not touching the bottom of the hot pot. It must be covered with a lid to create the “oven” like effect – the cake will take 55 minutes to cook. You can step the cake with the above method, only difference is we add a little water in the bottom of the stock pot and cover the cake tin with foil to avoid the steam droplets into the batter – this will take 1 – 1.5 hours too bake.

How to know if my banana bread is baked?

The tooth pick test is the best options to know if you banana bread is baked all the way through. Even though we have temperatures and tin sizes, ovens can vary and so can the internal temperature. Hence it may be done faster than the stipulated time or take longer as well. I always like to check the bananas bread after 30 minutes with a tooth pick poked into the center of the loaf. We are looking for it to come out clean or with a few crumbs but not sticky crumbs or jammy batter or runny batter.

Serving and storing this Easy Banana Bread Recipe?

I would suggest allowing this banana bread to cool completely before slicing or else it might break apart. Serve it with coffee, tea, milk or on its own it is absolutely delicious. It pairs well with butter, sea salt flakes, peanut butter, berry jam, chocolate spread etc. Always store it in air tight containers or zip lock bags. At room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 8 days and in the freezer for up to 5 months – when ready to eat warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds until soft. Or better yet, in the toaster.

Looking for more banana recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make this Easy Banana Bread Recipe, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it. Don’t forget to follow along for more healthy recipe inspiration.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.