This Classic Banana Bread recipe yields an incredibly delicious and moist bread. Ripe bananas are mashed and mixed in a simple batter spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Slice and serve with salted butter.
We’ve been baking a lot.
Everything from blondies and chocolate chip cookies to cake and banana bread. You name it, we’ve baked it. However I realized I didn’t have a straightforward banana bread recipe. There’s one with a streusel topping, another is studded with chocolate chips and there’s also one with a cheesecake middle. A simple, easy banana bread I did not. Until today that is.
Since everyone’s been staying in, there has been a lot of banana bread making. Our social media feeds are proof of that. Most likely because there’s a yeast shortage and lots of uneaten bananas on countertops.
Got ripe bananas? Make banana bread.
There’s nothing ultra glamorous about this recipe. You won’t find brown butter, chocolate chips or dark rum. This it’s just your basic recipe for a super moist and incredibly delicious banana bread.
Basically it’s perfect.
To Make This Classic Banana Bread Recipe You Will Need:
- unbleached all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- ground cinnamon
- nutmeg
- very ripe bananas
- soft unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar
- eggs
- milk
- vanilla
- kosher salt
- salted butter, for serving
In a mixing bowl, measure and add 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon each baking powder, baking soda and ground cinnamon and rounded 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
With a whisk, mix until combined and then set the bowl off to the side.
Then in separate bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas with a fork. Set this aside for a moment.
Grab a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment) and add 1 stick (1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons) softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup each granulated and light brown sugar.
Mix on medium-low speed until light and creamy.
To that, add the mashed bananas, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Mix on low to medium-low until combined.
Gradually add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time, mixing until incorporated.
With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to insure all the ingredients are incorporated.
Grease 2 standard loaf pans before dividing the batter among each one, about 1-1/2 cups per pan. I have a lot of success with the cooking spray that also has flour in it. Rarely does anything stick to the pan!
Use an offset spatula to spread the batter evenly.
Since I had one ripe banana leftover, I cut it in half and place one on top of each loaf. You can do this with 2 bananas, just slightly stagger the halves on each loaf.
Place both pans on the middle rack of your preheated 325° oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester comes out clean and/or with a few crumbs still attached. If there’s any trace of batter, place the pan or pans back into the oven and bake for 2 minutes more or until done.
Allow the banana bread to cool in the pans for 10 to 20 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to finish cooling.
So pretty! And my home smells amazing right now!
Slice and serve with softened salted butter! Obviously I like thick substantial slices of banana bread (extra butter).
And coffee.
For More Banana Bread Recipes Click Here!
Enjoy! And if you give this Classic Banana Bread Recipe recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Classic Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3 whole ripe bananas, plus 1 or two more for topping bread before baking
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325° and grease 2 standard loaf pans.
- In a mixing bowl, measure and the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk to combine, and then setting off to the side.
- Then in separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Set this aside for a moment as well.
- Next, on a larger mixing bowl (or in the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment) add the softened butter with both sugars. Mix on medium-low speed until light and creamy.
- To the same bowl, add the mashed bananas, eggs, milk, vanilla extract and kosher salt. Mix on low to medium-low until combined.
- Gradually add 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time, mixing until incorporated. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to insure all the ingredients are incorporated.
- Divide the batter (about 1-1/2 cups each) among the prepared pans and spread evenly. Use any extra ripe bananas by cutting it in half and placing one on top of each loaf. If you have two leftover bananas you can stagger the halves on each loaf.
- Place both pans on the middle rack of your preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a tester, inserted into the middle, comes out clean and/or with a few crumbs still attached. If there’s any trace of batter, place the pan or pans back into the oven and bake for 2 minutes more or until done.
- Allow the banana bread to cool in the pans for 10 to 20 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Slice and serve with softened salted butter.
Notes
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This banana bread looks delish, but my all time favorite banana bread recipe is from you with the crumbly top. Its the best banana bread and everyone loves it. I have made several and put some on my friends doorsteps in recent days and they all have asked for the recipe. Hers is link to that one: https://www.simplyscratch.com/2011/01/banana-bread-a-new-twist-on-an-old-recipe.html
This was a fabulous recipe ! I made it into a Bundt cake and GF and it was delicious! Thanks!
That’s awesome, Missy!
I would like to add plain yogurt but how much would you say?
Absolutely delicious but really not sure why they decided to split it into two loaves. This is the correct amount of batter for one loaf and made it difficult to determine time and heat to cook correctly as the recipe was made for two half loaves.