Banana bread is a standby favorite that most bakers have in their baking repertoire. After finding this recipe, I stopped trying all others for a basic banana bread.
Not only is my lovely friend Stephanie beautiful, intelligent, and super talented designer, she also bakes the best banana bread I have ever had. She shared her recipe with me a years before I finally tried it myself and the banana bread recipe is so easy and simple to follow, I think mine turned out as well as hers.
I have a bit of an aversion to baking with shortening so I was pleased to find this banana bread recipe uses good old-fashioned butter. I know some bakers say that the trans fats in shortening are the key to great baked goods but something about that white stuff creeps me out a little. This is also the first recipe that I have followed where the butter is melted and then added at the end instead of whipped in at the beginning. Maybe that’s the secret to what makes it so good?
Since I have made this many times, I have included my tips and tricks below. I have to say, it is about as perfect as banana bread gets. Washed down with a glass of milk, it started my year outright. I suggest you buy extra bananas, let them start rotting, and get baking!
See the notes below the recipe for tips to bake the perfect banana bread. Click here for other general baking tips.
Other Related Recipes:
Whole Wheat Banana Bread
Banana Macadamia Nut Muffins
Maple Pecan Banana Bread
Overnight Oatmeal Muffins
Heavenly Banana Cake with Super Special Cream Cheese Frosting
My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: American
Description
Moist, flavorful banana bread is perfect every time. A top recipe, this banana bread is the best of the best.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 large, ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 cup butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour loaf pans. The original recipe called for two 7 x 3-inch loaf pans but you can use four mini loaf pans.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, soda, salt, and sugar.
- Mix in the slightly beaten eggs and mashed bananas.
- Slowly stir in the melted butter just until incorporated.
- Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. If you use the mini loaf pans, adjust to about 30 minutes. Just take a peek and if the top is starting to brown and looks cooked, try the toothpick to test for doneness.
- Let cool in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.
- Store wrapped tightly at room temperature for 4 days. Or, freeze loaves wrapped in plastic wrap and then foil.
Notes
What is a ripe banana? I like mine almost all brown with some specs of yellow.
Mash bananas well with a potato masher or fork but leave some small chunks. Don’t go all the way to baby food consistency.
Do NOT over mix this batter. I would not use an electric mixer – just a few circles of the wrist while incorporating the ingredients.
Do NOT over bake. The moist, banana-y center should be soft and crumbly.
Let the bread cool completely before storing it. The edges and outside will get sticky and icky if you wrap it or put it in a Ziploc too soon.
You can wrap this banana bread in foil, then put it in a freezer bag and you can freeze it for up to three months.