This recipe for Easy Banana Bread doesn’t even require an electric mixer! Make it with overripe bananas for the best flavor and texture.
This delicious bread stirs together with a whisk and bakes up snack cake-style in an 8×8 inch square pan. I’ve always baked my banana bread in loaf pans, but after trying it this way I’ve changed my decorum. Perhaps permanently! There’s more soft and tender middle to enjoy this way, which is my favorite part.
Banana Bread Batter
This classic banana bread begins with brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Stir the mixture together with a whisk or a wooden spoon until well combined.
Use Overripe Bananas
Mash up four large ripe bananas in a bowl until fine. A fork works well for this. A few remaining lumps of banana are okay. Whisk the mashed banana into the brown sugar mixture.
I prefer and recommend using overripe bananas, which will give this bread bold banana flavor and supreme moistness.
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, which is flour, baking soda, salt. Easy enough, right? Again, a whisk is perfectly fine for this step. Slowly stir until just combined, you’re not looking to incorporate any air, which is usually a whisk’s job. But its balloon shape works really well at pulling all the ingredients together as you stir.
Banana Bread Mix-Ins
Add some crunchy nuts! This can be an optional addition, but not for me. I love slightly sweet pecans added to the batter. English walnuts are also quite good. But if you’re looking to really indulge, then add in 3/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips – yum!
Bake the batter it for 45-50 minutes, then let the bread cool 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack. You could also let it cool completely in the pan and serve slices directly from there.
A Loaf – If You Must
I’ve made a case for my 8×8-inch pan size, but if you prefer a loaf pan (or if that’s all you have) then this recipe will bake up just fine in a 9×5-inch. Bake it for longer – about 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes. The exterior will be slightly more brown and crusty than the 8×8 version.
This simple banana bread is delicious served warm, and slices can be reheated in the microwave for about 20 seconds. But we enjoy it at room temperature, too. A slice makes an excellent breakfast on a busy morning. If you have more time for embellishment, add a pat of salted butter and a drizzle of honey.
(If you only have three large bananas on hand, you might consider making my favorite Banana Nut Muffins instead!)
Easy Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8×8 inch square baking pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs large
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 4 bananas large, overripe
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt fine grain
- 3/4 cups chopped pecans optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Coat an 8×8 inch pan with flour-based baking spray, Or use cooking spray such as Pam. You can also grease and flour with shortening and flour.
- In a large mixing bowl, place the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and butter. Stir together with a whisk or wooden spoon until combined. Peel the bananas and place them in a separate mixing bowl. Mash well with a fork until fine. A few lumps of banana are okay. Add the bananas to the brown sugar mixture. Stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet banana mixture. Stir together until just combined. Add the pecans, if using, and fold them in using a rubber spatula.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick tester inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Allow the bread to cool in the pan 10 minutes before turning it out, or serve slices of the bread warm directly from the pan.
- Serve squares of banana bread split and stuffed with pats of salted butter.
- Banana bread will keep well at room temperature for two days. Cover with plastic wrap or foil. Or, store it in the refrigerator for up to four days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Yumm!! Looks delicious I must try soon.
So good and easy to boot. I’m now a believer in banana bread in a cake pan instead of a loaf pan.
thanks queen. absolutely scrummy banana bread. I put in dark chocolate and its absolutely banging.
If you are looking for more of a cake like banana bread this is a great recipe. Great flavor. It comes down to personal preference for me. I had to throw out my loaf pan because it got damaged so I ended up using an 8×8. I definitely prefer the loaf pan. It makes a more dense and it’s more bread like. This is more like a cake and would taste fabulous with a cream cheese frosting or something like that as well. It turned out like it was supposed to so zero complaints.
Thank you for this recipe! It was easy enough to follow. I did put only half the sugar, but it still turned out great. I made it for my kid’s birthday, and he loved it. One question, can I replace the melted butter with cooking oil (or even just do it half butter and half oil)?
SO great to hear! You may want to first try half butter and half oil. The bananas in this recipe gives the bread such a soft, moist texture. Cooking oil will increase the moisture. I’m afraid if you use all cooking oil the texture will become dense and gluey. I have not tried the swap, but if I do I’ll report back here.
A delicious and perfect recipe! I used coconut oil instead of butter and it turned out perfectly