I went to Google for answers and “Show me how to make banana bread” was one of the top searches. I tried several methods and wanted to share my findings with you in a comprehensive “how-to” guide.
I made this banana bread yesterday, and it was freakin’ delicious. I think it could already replace my favorite chocolate cake. I’m going to show you how to make some too, but first let me explain why this recipe is so different from other banana bread recipes online.
QUICK BANANA BREAD YOU WILL LOVE.
Banana bread is one of the easiest quick breads you can make. Armed with Just a fork or whisk you are good to go. Do you love bananas or the flavor of bananas, then this one is definitely for you. Most of my culinary experiences are from childhood but not this one. I don’t remember bananas lasting long enough in my home to get to the stage needed for banana bread. ( you can soften aka ripen your bananas prematurely though, I will talk more on that in the recipe notes).
Instead we used to make loads of delights with over ripe plantains like this savory plantain crepes and the ever popular plantain puff puff we Nigerians love so much and lust after in small chops at party venues. We didn’t even think of making plantain bread i guess no one thought of that then.
I got to know about banana bread in my teenage years when I got more interested baking. But let me confess I never did bother baking it either because I just loved my bananas as is with a dose of peanuts or peanut butter. When we moved over to the states I noticed a lot of people around me loved banana bread including my kiddos. So I started baking banana bread at home since they didnt quite like the one at Costco because it wasn’t the plain one it was banana nut bread hmmmmm.( which I liked). Now let me dwell more on my love for bananas. Bananas are my favorite fruits ever. I love love bananas. Back in college up till I went low carb/keto I could almost finish a bunch if you let me. I had it in my smoothies, in my pancakes, and with loads of peanuts or peanut butter hmmm another weakness of mine. So confession time.
THE REASONS I HAVEN’T PUT UP BANANA RECIPES ON THE BLOG:
- Before going low carb, bananas hardly got over ripe in my house because it would have all been eaten up or used up as smoothies.
- When I went low carb/keto I quit buying bananas for a while to keep temptation at bay.
- When I resumed buying them more often and they stayed long enough to get over ripe I realized that it was actually me that was the culprit for bananas finishing up so quickly in the past. Now that I don’t eat them as much, They were now available to get ripe enough to bake up some banana bread.
- When I started baking banana bread I hadn’t started blogging so no pictures were taken and besides, they finished so fast. This meant my family loved banana bread more than the fruit itself. I literally had to keep their hands off these ones to get a picture before it was devoured.
Now I make the Banana nut bread (which hubby prefers to the store bought one) and the plain banana bread which my son loves. My Ada loves her bananas as bananas not in bread in her own words. My youngest loves the nutty one like her dad and I. Oh well it’s so easy to make and I love using Brown sugar to make mine because the molasses in the Brown sugar adds some extra flavor to the banana bread.
Now that you have good use for your over ripe bananas, may I ask what you are waiting for? Get a fork already and let’s whip up some banana bread. ?
Banana Bread; So Easy
Chichi UguruBanana bread is one of the easiest quick breads to make. Put your ripe bananas and whip up this delicious treat with just a fork. Bonus: Tastes lovely fresh from the oven and even better the next day.
INGREDIENTS 1x2x3x
- 3 very ripe bananas ( mashed )
- 2 large eggs well beaten
- 113g /½ cup /1 stick salted butter ( melted )
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 210g/ 1½ cup flour
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F
- Prepare 9 by 5 loaf pan by lining with parchment paper and spraying with non stick spray
- Transfer mashed bananas into a bowl
- Then add all the wet ingredients ( the melted butter, beaten eggs, vanilla extract) and mix in with a fork.
- Add in the dry ingredients ( brown sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda ) Mix throughly, still with your fork.
- Transfer batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle rack of the oven for 55 mins or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Serving suggestions
NOTES
- The bananas need to be very berry ripe. If you have bananas that are not very ripe you can ripen them in the oven. Preheat oven to 300ºF, Line a baking tray with parchment paper as the bananas may leak during the baking. Place bananas in the tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins or until the peel is shiny and dark.
- But if you have a day or two to make your banana bread, you can ripen the banana by wrapping it up tight in a plastic bag or paper bag. It would be ripe enough in a day or two.
- You don’t have to use a fork to whip up your banana bread like I did. You can use a hand or Stand mixer to mix every thing up. I used the fork all through the process to show you how ridiculously easy this bread is.
- For mashing the bananas you will have to use a fork or a hand blender.
Banana Bread
- Prep: 15 min
- Cook: 1 hr
- Yield: 1 loaf
Ingredients
Deselect All
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
4 very ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Healthy Banana Bread!
Want to make someone’s day? Bake them some banana bread! Just yesterday, I said, “I’m going to bake some banana bread,” and watched a full-grown man’s eyes light up like a kid’s on Christmas morning.
Banana bread is one of those classic, all-American comfort food recipes that fills the whole house with warmth and makes everything better. Banana bread is magic.
I perfected this banana bread recipe for my cookbook and wanted to share with you here. This recipe has all the hallmarks of classic banana bread—it’s fluffy, moist, infused with sweet banana flavor, and beloved by toddlers and adults alike.
Bonus? This recipe requires just one bowl, a few measuring cups and some basic ingredients.
What makes this banana bread healthy?
- This banana bread recipe is made with 100 percent whole wheat flour, unlike traditional banana bread recipes that call for refined flour and lots of processed sugar.
- This banana bread is naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup, which offer some trace nutrients that white sugar does not.
- Lastly, this recipe calls for a reasonable amount of unrefined oil rather than whole sticks of butter (choose from virgin coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil).
As you can see, my homemade banana bread has plenty of redeeming qualities, chief being that it won’t send your blood sugar levels for a loop. You can keep them all to yourself, though. No one will be able to tell that this is healthy banana bread!
Banana Bread Flour Options
This recipe is flexible! Any of the following flours will work well. I love to use white whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour—they offer all the whole wheat nutrients, without the characteristically nutty flavor.
- All-purpose flour
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- Oat flour*
- Spelt flour
- Whole wheat flour
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- White whole wheat flour
*To substitute oat flour, you’ll need to use 2 1/2 cups, for reasons elaborated in my guide to oat flour.
Want to make your banana bread with almond flour? You sure can, but it’s not a simple substitute, so follow my almond flour-based banana bread recipe instead.
Tip: How to Measure Flour
For best results, it’s important to measure your flour properly. Here’s how to measure flour in cups using the “spoon and swoop” method:
- Gently stir your flour with a large spoon to loosen it up.
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop it in!).
- Level off the excess with a butter knife.
Banana Bread Variations
Now that I’ve finally perfected this basic banana bread, feel free to change up this recipe and make it your own. Toss some chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter! Same goes for chocolate chips. You could also add raisins, chopped dried fruit or slices of bananas.
Craving muffins instead? Follow my recipe for healthy banana muffins.
Following a special diet? With a couple of minor tweaks, you can make this bread vegan (so dairy free and egg free, too) or gluten free. Check the recipe notes for details.
WATCH HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY BANANA BREAD
Healthy Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 55 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Quick Bread
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
★★★★★
With this healthy banana bread recipe, you’re only a few simple ingredients away from the best banana bread ever! It’s made with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with honey or maple syrup. You can easily make this banana bread vegan or gluten free—check the recipe notes for details. Recipe yields 1 loaf (about 10 slices).
INGREDIENTS
- ⅓ cup (75 grams) melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil or high quality vegetable oil*
- ½ cup honey (168 grams) or maple syrup (155 grams)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (225 grams) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 ½ medium or 2 large bananas)
- ¼ cup (56 grams) milk of choice or water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they aren’t the same!)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour**
- Totally optional: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, chopped dried fruit, fresh banana slices…
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then whisk in the mashed bananas and milk. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)
- Add the baking soda, vanilla, salt and cinnamon, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes. You may need to run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread from the pan. Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool before slicing.