Description
This classic Banana Bread recipe offers a sweet, rich, and moist quick bread with a tender crumb. Made with ripe bananas, brown sugar, and warm spices, it’s perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- ¾ cup light or dark brown sugar (165g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1¾ cups mashed ripe bananas (430g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined, ensuring an even distribution of leavening and spices.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and butter on high speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, creating a smooth base for the batter.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure to scrape down the bowl between each addition for even mixing. Then blend in the vanilla extract for added flavor.
- Incorporate Bananas and Dry Ingredients: Stir in the mashed ripe bananas until combined. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the bread dense.
- Transfer and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, indicating the bread is fully cooked.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and finish cooling completely on a wire rack to maintain texture and prevent sogginess.
Notes
- For best results, use very ripe bananas with brown spots for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- You can substitute dark brown sugar for a richer molasses flavor.
- To store, wrap banana bread tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- Optional add-ins include chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit for extra texture and flavor.
- This bread freezes well; slice before freezing and thaw slices as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/10th of loaf)
- Calories: 274 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 363 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 62 mg
