Easy Banana Bread

Use up those ripe bananas with this wonderful easy banana bread which is moist and full of flavour. Your home will smell delicious!

It is difficult to know what teenagers will eat – sometimes bananas last barely a few hours in the fruit bowl, and at times they are barely noticed and ignored till they are black and on their way to turning mushy. That’s when I rescue them and bring back something that looks more appealing like this banana bread.

Why this recipe works:

• Banana bread is great for breakfast, with coffee, in lunch-boxes…anytime! 
• Everyone loves bananas and this banana bread is a winner!
• With this recipe you get a wonderful moist bread with a rich banana flavour.
• The butter gives a rich, slightly dense crumb.

Cook’s tips:

• Use soft, over-ripe bananas as they are sweeter, have a stronger flavour, and impart more moisture. Yellow bananas will result in a less sweet and drier cake!
• Brown sugar gives the bread a rich moist texture, a lovely caramel colour and a great flavour.
• To check it is cooked, insert a clean skewer into the bread and if it comes out clean, it is ready.

Recipe Variations

• Add a cup of chocolate chips to the mix before baking for a chocolate fix!
• Notch it up a level by covering it with this amazing Cream Cheese Frosting.

How to make banana bread – Step by Step

1. Select 4 or 5 of your blackest bananas and mash them well.
2. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. (Sifting loosens up the flour and helps mix up the ingredients).
3. In another mixing bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar till creamy and smooth. Then stir in the beaten eggs, vanilla essence and mashed banana.
4. Fold the egg mixture into the flour  till just incorporated (gentle folding).
5. Pour the mixture into a greased loaf 9×5 inch loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes. Insert a clean skewer all the way into the bread. If it comes out clean, it is ready, if not bake for a further 5 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack. Slice and serve as is, or cover with a layer of this delicious Cream Cheese Frosting or  this Lemon Icing.

Can I make this banana bread Vegan? 

For a vegan or dairy free option, substitute the butter with extra virgin olive oil or any high quality vegetable oil. Replace the eggs with 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce, (If you are using sweetened applesauce, adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe accordingly).

Storing banana bread

This bread can be stored in an airtight box the fridge for up to 3 days. It also freezes well – wrap in bees-wax paper or cling-film to freeze.

Can you freeze bananas?

If you love banana desserts, a great way to make sure you always have some on hand is to freeze them! This is a great tip  my mother shared with me. Freeze them with their peels on, or already peeled.

They last longer in the freezer if they are peeled first.

Chop the bananas into large chunks and partially freeze them on a tray before transferring them to a zip-loc bag to keep in the freezer. Then defrost in the fridge overnight or leave them out on the counter for a few hours before you are ready to use them.

Want more banana recipes? Try these Mini Banana Cupcakes or  Banana Crumb Muffins.

⭐️ Are you making this recipe? Do let me know how it turned out in the comments! And please give it a star rating below!

Instagram – I love seeing your creations, so post a picture, tag @endofthefork and hashtag #endofthefork

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Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Easy Banana Bread

Use up those ripe bananas with this wonderful banana bread which is moist and full of flavour. Your home will smell delicious!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana bread, banana bread recipe, easy banana bread

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 393kcal

Author: Nicole Shroff

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

• 4-5 over ripe bananas, mashed till smooth
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten

US CustomaryMetric

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 345℉/175℃, and grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. 
• Separately, in a medium bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar. To this, add the vanilla essence, eggs and mashed bananas, and mix well.
• Fold the egg mixture into the flour till  just incorporated, taking care not to over-stir. 
• Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 30 minutes, or till a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the bread to cool for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack.

Recipe Notes

Cook's Tips:

• Soft, over-ripe bananas are sweeter, have a stronger flavour, and impart more moisture than yellow bananas. Yellow bananas will result in a less sweet and drier cake!
• Insert a clean skewer into the bread and if it comes out clean, it is ready.

Recipe Variations:

• Add a cup of chocolate chips to the mixture.
• Try this frosting with the banana bread

Vegan option:

• Substitute eggs with 1/2 cup applesauce (adjust the amount of sugar in the recipe accordingly).
• Replace butter with 1/3 cup vegetable oil.

To store:

• Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To freeze, wrap in bees-wax paper or clingfilm.

 

Nutrition Facts

Easy Banana Bread

Amount Per Serving

Calories 393 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 9g45%

Cholesterol 40mg13%

Sodium 422mg18%

Potassium 81mg2%

Carbohydrates 59g20%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 26g29%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 475IU10%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 2.1mg12%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you try this recipe? Snap a picture!Mention @Endofthefork or tag #endofthefork on Instagram I'd love to see it!

Update notes: This post was originally published on Sept 15th, 2017, but was republished with tips, and FAQ’s in March, 2019.