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Banana Bread Recipe

Banana bread with a golden crust and soft, pillowy crumb made by mashing ripe bananas and baking until a toothpick comes out clean. Easy one-bowl mixing creates a tender loaf with sweet caramelized banana flavor and vanilla notes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana Bread Ingredients
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed Use very ripe black-spotted bananas for best flavor and sweetness.
  • 0.3333333333 cup melted butter
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.25 tsp salt Use a pinch (about 1/4 tsp) to balance sweetness.
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Bake the loaf
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 4x8 loaf pan, readying it for the batter.
  2. Mix the melted butter into the mashed bananas until evenly combined and glossy.
  3. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla until smooth, with no dry streaks.
  4. Add the baking soda and salt, stirring until the mixture looks consistent.
  5. Fold in the all-purpose flour just until combined, stopping as soon as no dry flour remains.
  6. Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and spread it level.
  7. Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350F until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, with a golden top.
  8. Cool the loaf before slicing so the crumb sets and stays tender.

Notes

For the best texture, keep mixing the flour to a minimum so the crumb stays soft and pillowy. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; freeze wrapped slices for up to 2 months. For a simple swap, replace the sugar 1:1 with light brown sugar for deeper caramel flavor while keeping the same method.