Banana Bread
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Say hello to your new favorite banana bread recipe! With its tender crumb, rich flavor, and irresistibly crisp crust, it’s simply the best!
Are you on the hunt for the perfect banana bread recipe? Look no further—this is the one! With a tender crumb and a crisp crust, it’s absolutely phenomenal fresh out of the oven and just as delicious toasted up for breakfast the next day. You might be surprised by an unexpected ingredient: lemon juice. While it doesn’t make the bread taste lemony, it actually enhances the banana flavor. The acidity also works with the baking soda to help the bread rise, giving it a beautiful golden color, toasty flavor, and light, fluffy texture.
My family loves this banana bread plain, but you can easily add nuts or chocolate chips if you like. And if you’re craving variety, I’ve got plenty of options, including marbled banana bread, chocolate banana bread, whole wheat banana bread, and chai-spiced banana bread. After all, you can never have too many banana bread recipes!
Table of Contents
“Best banana bread ever! And I have tried a lot of different recipes. I think the secret is the lemon juice!”
What You’ll Need To Make Banana Bread
- All-purpose flour: Provides the structure for the bread.
- Baking soda and baking powder: Act as leavening agents to help the banana bread rise and become fluffy.
- Butter: Adds richness, moisture, and flavor to the bread, and helps create a tender crumb.
- Sugar: Sweetens the bread and contributes to the golden-brown crust when baked.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, add structure, and contribute to the bread’s rise and fluffiness.
- Mashed very ripe bananas: The star ingredient that provides moisture, sweetness, and distinct banana flavor to the bread. For a really moist, banana-forward bread, use very ripe bananas. The bananas should at least be dark yellow with plenty of brown spots, and it’s okay if the skin has turned completely brown. (See the FAQs below for tips on how to speed up ripening.)
- Lemon juice: Enhances the banana flavor and reacts with the baking soda to aid in leavening and browning.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor of the banana bread, adding depth and warmth.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Whisk to combine.
In the bowl of an electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Beat well after each addition.
Add the mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract.
Mix well. It will look a little curdled at this point; that’s okay.
Add the dry ingredients.
Beat on low speed until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.
Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage & Freezing Instructions
Banana bread should be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent it from drying out. If properly stored, it will stay fresh for 2 to 3 days. If you’re not planning to eat it within that time frame, freeze for longer storage. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil or freezer wrap, or place it in a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving. Crisp up individual slices in the toaster for a fresh-baked effect.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you’re in a hurry to ripen bananas for baking, there are a couple of methods you can try:
24-Hour Method: Place the bananas (still attached at the stem) in a loosely sealed brown paper bag and let them sit on the counter. Check them after 24 hours to see if they’ve ripened to your liking.
Quick Oven Ripening: If you need ripe bananas even faster, you can use your oven. Place the bananas, still in their peels, on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any leakage. Bake them at a low temperature of 250°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until they develop a deep brown color. This method helps break down the starches in the bananas quickly, resulting in a softer texture and sweeter flavor.
Absolutely! If you have overripe bananas and you’re not ready to bake, don’t let them go to waste. I typically freeze them in bags of 2 or 3, as mashed, they typically yield about 1 cup, which is what most banana recipes call for. Simply peel the bananas, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze. When you’re ready to bake, thaw them in the bag and then mash.
Banana Bread Video Tutorial
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Banana Bread
Say hello to your new favorite banana bread recipe! With its tender crumb, rich flavor, and irresistibly crisp crust, it’s simply the best!
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas, from 2-3 large bananas
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, from 1 lemon
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5-inch metal loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas, lemon juice and vanilla extract and mix well. It will look a little curdled at this point; that's okay.
- Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Do not over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice
- Calories: 208
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Sugar: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 394 mg
- Cholesterol: 51 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I just made Jen’s Banana Bread for the first time and I LOVED it. I followed the recipe exactly as written. It’s easy to make, so moist, and not too sweet. I sliced it and wrapped individual pieces for the freezer. I pull out a piece whenever I’m in the mood and it tastes like I made it that day. I have a guest house that I rent out on Airbnb and welcome my guests with baked goods. This will be my new go-to welcome treat. So easy to have to have it ready to go in the freezer and they think I made it fresh for them.
The best banana bread recipe! Sometimes I throw in some chocolate chips. My kids love eating this as an afternoon snack.
My family loves banana bread and since I was going to see them (all grown!) and had bananas in the freezer I decided it was time for a treat!
The bread was great! I added abt 6 ozs of mini choc chips which is always a crowd pleaser.
I made this banana bread for my three grandchildren when they were coming to our house after school. My Daughter-In-Law is an amazing cook and baker and these kids are not your average kids to please! The banana bread was still a bit warm when I sliced it…… devoured! It’s the perfect amount of sweetness and the perfect texture. I did add a few chopped walnuts into the batter with a few semi sweet chocolate chips across the top. My eldest grandson (8) asked if would make it again as dessert after dinner with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This recipe is a keeper for sure!
The flavor and texture are great with just the right amount of banana and sugar sensation. I always appreciate the detailed instructions/description in each recipe (for this one, “It will look a little curdled at this point; that’s okay”) It helps me not second guess what I may have just done wrong. I have made this recipe twice and each bake came out with a soft center even though the cake tester came out clean at 40 min. The first time I had used bananas I had previously frozen and thought maybe the consistency of the banana mash affected the bake. The second time I used fresh ripe bananas and had the same result- 40 min bake with clean cake tester, soft center of bread after it had cooled. Next time I will give it the extra 5 minutes.
I have made banana bread for decades. My son loves when I make it for him. So let’s just say that I have been comfortable in my banana bread making abilities.
This recipe knocked me off of my self created throne. What a great recipe! It’s flavorful, it’s moist, it’s soooo good! Thanks for another great recipe, Jen!
This is a delicious classic banana bread recipe, moist and tender, exactly what I’m looking for in banana bread. My only addition is some cinnamon sugar over the top before it bakes, it adds a lot to the crust.
Banana bread searches always yield a recipe that someone says is “so good”. Well this one really is!
I have made it numerous times, customizing with whatever I feel like adding, and it always turns out great. MY favorite way is to add chopped pecans. Husband enjoys mini chocolate chips in the batter. I have doubled the recipe and it keeps well, because when I don’t, it vanishes too quickly.
Thanks for another delicious addition to my recipe collection.
This banana bread is the best ever. I have made it dozens and dozens of time. I’ve even divided the batter into three mini pans so I could share the wealth. Many friends have told me this is the best banana bread I’ve ever had. I agree!!!
Thank you Jennifer for sharing your recipes. It always brightens my day when I see an Email from you in my inbox.
Great Banana Bread….I added chocolate chips and oh my! Love it.