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Sweets · American

Banana Bread

The browner the banana, the better the bread. Finally, my fruit bowl is a feature.

Hands-on
20 min
Hands-off
1 h 30 min
Oven preheat
15 min
Total
1 h 50 min
Makes
18 slices (1 loaf)
Serves
18

Total = 20 min active + 90 min hands-off (10 min batter rest, about 70 min baking, 10 min in the pan). Preheating overlaps prep. Cooling the loaf completely on the rack comes on top of this.

Oven 160 °C · 140 °C fan (325 °F)

Pan 23 x 13 cm loaf pan (or a 30 x 10 cm tea loaf pan) (US: 9 x 5 in loaf pan (or a 12 x 4 in tea loaf pan))

  • easy
  • vegetarian
  • kid-friendly
  • make-ahead
  • uses-ripe-bananas

Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means

Illustration of Banana Bread
Amount
Units
Oven

Ingredients

You need: 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 in) loaf pan · large mixing bowl or stand mixer with flat beater · flexible spatula · fork or zip-top bag for mashing · small offset spatula (optional) · aluminum foil · long toothpick or thin knife · wire rack · oven mitts

Contains: egg · milk · wheat · tree nuts (walnuts, optional)

Method

  1. Get the oven ready

    Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan, 325°F) and lightly grease the loaf pan.

  2. Mash the bananas

    Mash the bananas until you have 340 g (1 1/2 cups). Easy way: put peeled chunks in a zip-top bag, leave a small gap for air, and squash them with your fingers.

    Otto tried this firstOtto grabs green-tipped bananas. For banana bread they should at least be starting to brown, and the darker the peel, the stronger the banana flavor.

  3. Beat the base

    In a large bowl, combine the 113 g (8 tbsp) butter, 142 g (2/3 cup) packed sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Stir hard with a flexible spatula for 2 to 3 minutes (or beat with a mixer on medium for 1 minute) until smooth.

    Ready when: The mixture is smooth and evenly blended.

  4. Add the wet ingredients

    Stir in the mashed bananas, 3 tbsp jam (if using), 85 g (1/4 cup) honey and the 2 eggs until smooth. Small banana lumps are fine, and the batter may look a little curdled.

  5. Add the flour

    Add the 270 g (2 1/4 cups) flour, then the walnuts if you're using them, and stir just until smooth.

  6. Rest the batter

    Spread the batter in the pan, smooth the top, and leave it at room temperature for 10 minutes.

  7. First bake

    Bake for 45 minutes, then lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top so it doesn't get too dark.

    Ready when: After 45 minutes the top has colored; the foil goes on to stop it over-browning while the middle finishes.

  8. Second bake and test

    Bake for 25 more minutes (20 in a tea loaf pan). Push a long toothpick or thin knife into the center: it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, with no wet batter. If you see wet batter, bake 5 minutes more and test again.

    Ready when: A toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, no wet batter.

  9. Cool

    Leave the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool completely.

Swaps

  • Instead of all-purpose flour: the same amount of a measure-for-measure gluten-free flour blend Bake until it is fully done; gluten-free loaves often need extra time.
  • Instead of 142 g (2/3 cup) brown sugar: 71 g (1/3 cup) packed brown sugar, or as little as 2 tbsp Makes a less sweet loaf; the texture stays moist.
  • Instead of walnuts: leave them out For a nut-free loaf; nothing else changes.

Make ahead, store & reheat

Make ahead
Bake it a day or more ahead. Once completely cool, wrap it tightly and keep it at room temperature for several days, or freeze it for longer.
Storage
Let it cool completely before wrapping: steam trapped under the wrap turns into condensation, which can encourage mold. Keep it tightly wrapped at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, freeze it in a couple of airtight layers (for example plastic wrap inside a freezer bag); most breads keep well frozen for up to about 3 months.
Reheat
Thaw the wrapped loaf at room temperature (about 3 hours for a whole loaf); single slices thaw in under 30 minutes or can go straight into the toaster.

If something goes wrong

  • The top is getting too dark
    Lay foil loosely over the top after the first 45 minutes and keep baking.
  • Wet batter on the toothpick
    Bake 5 minutes more and test again.
  • Not much banana flavor
    Use riper bananas: peels mostly brown to black give the strongest flavor.
  • Dry, heavy loaf
    Weigh the flour, or spoon it into the cup and level it. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour.

Good to know

  • Bananas ripening too slowly? Freeze overripe ones as they come and thaw them before baking; dark peels are normal, and keep any liquid that comes out.
  • Only have barely ripe bananas? Add about 15% more sugar and 25% more salt to make up for the milder flavor.
  • Bake time changes with the pan shape, so trust the toothpick test more than the clock.

Safety

  • Never taste the raw batter: raw flour and raw egg can carry bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella. Only the baked loaf is safe to eat.
  • Wash your hands, bowls and counter with warm soapy water after handling flour and raw egg.
  • The pan and oven are very hot: use oven mitts, and kids should move things in and out of the oven with an adult.