The best banana bread recipe. Serve it sliced and slathered with butter. Make sure it's cut in thick slices.
I am strange. I love fruit smoothies but I only eat 3 fruits (apples, strawberries and grapes). I go crazy for fruity desserts and I can’t get enough of banana bread despite really disliking eating bananas.
In fact banana bread is one of my favourite breakfast foods.
I have been on a hunt for the best easy banana bread recipe for years and have made these ones that came close:
- Guest post on While He was Napping
- Banana bread again
- Cafe style banana nut bread
- Low calorie banana bread
But when I made this recipe, I knew the hunt was over.
10 years later it's still a firm family favourite easy banana bread and absolute go-to banana bread recipe.
The crust crunches up beautifully when toasted and it’s dense and sweet and delicious.
Ingredients
There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe but the method is pretty simple.
To make this banana bread recipe you will need:
- Plain or all-purpose flour (or use whole wheat to up the nutritional value)
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt - we like sea salt flakes or Celtic sea salt
- Caster (superfine) sugar - you can sub this for other types of sugar but it gives your warm slice of banana bread that delicious crunchy crust
- Brown sugar - trust us, don't reduce the sugar in this recipe. Eat the banana bread sparingly if you want to reduce the sugar.
- Eggs
- Oil - I use olive oil but any mild oil with do
- Medium bananas - at room temperature
- Creme fraiche or sour cream - I use plain yoghurt
- Vanilla extract
Instructions
Step 1
I always like to measure out the ingredients first. This way I don't forget anything.
Step 2
Start by beating together the sugar and eggs until they are light and fluffy. I think this helps make the crunchy crust. It makes meringue-like substance.
Make sure you get it super frothy. Use an electric mixer if you have one.
Step 3
Pour the oil into the bow and stir it through.
Step 4
Whisk in the sour cream and mashed bananas to the wet ingredients.
Step 5
Sift in the dry ingredients into the bowl and gently fold them through the rest of the batter.
Step 6
Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake the banana bread at 160C fan-forced for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 7
Let the baked bread sit for 5 minutes.
Step 8
Turn it out on to a wire rack to cool. Although I serve it toasted, it's best to let it cool completely before you eat it.
Serve sliced banana bread toasted and spread with butter. Enjoy!
Flavour options
This bread is absolutely delicious as is but if you want to vary the flavour a bit you can add:
- Chocolate chips or chopped up dark chocolate - about ½ a cup of them
- Peanut butter - just a few spoonfuls stirred through
- Roast walnuts - a classic banana bread addition
More banana recipes
Any baking recipe that calls for banana can use frozen banana (once thawed) but here are some of our favourites:
- Banana muffins
- Banana, blueberry and oat muffins (one of our favourites for lunchboxes)
- Chocolate banana cake
I love using frozen bananas in smoothies (this best ever healthy chocolate smoothie one is a favourite) and they can also be blended in a food processor with maple syrup to make nice cream - a dairy-free banana ice cream.
Tip
Don't throw out your banana peels!
Banana peels (even covered in brown spots) make great plant fertiliser.
Just place two peels in a jar and cover with water.
Put the lid on and leave for 2 days then water your fruit and vege plants with the water.
The banana peels can then go in the compost (or sometimes I dig a hole and bury them).
FAQs
Yes you can absolutely use frozen bananas for banana bread.
Just thaw in an airtight container (or pop in the microwave in a microwave-safe dish) then use as usual.
Sometimes thawed bananas there will be some brown liquid in the bottom.
That can be tipped down the sink (or onto the garden - it's an excellent fertiliser - see end of post).
Freezing bananas is really simple and a great way to make sure overripe bananas don't go to waste.
Here in Queensland, Australia, bananas can go from fresh bananas to super brown bananas (almost liquid) it seems before your eyes in the heat of summer.
There are a few different ways to freeze bananas:
1. Whole bananas - the best way is to peel them then throw in a freezer bag and into the freezer. You can also freeze them on a baking sheet first.
2. Sliced bananas - slice and place bananas on a tray in a single layer (I like to use freezer go-between or parchment paper to stop them sticking) and then transfer the frozen banana slices into a plastic bag or freezer-safe container.
3. You can also freeze unpeeled bananas and peel once thawed.
Recipe
Recipe
The best banana bread yet - set in Sunshine Beach
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cups plain AP flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup caster superfine sugar
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup oil I used vegetable oil
- 3 ½ bananas very ripe, mashed
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream I used light sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pre--heat the oven to 160C(320F) fan-forced.
- Grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugars together until light and fluffy.
- Stir in the oil then the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla.
- Sift in the dry ingredients and fold them through.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared tin.
- Bake the bread for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden on top and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Cool the bread on a wire rack.
- Serve toasted and spread with butter.
Karen says
Thanks Claire
Came home today to find Mr Somebody had taken one bite out of a banana and left it on the bench - it was starting to go that lovely brown colour that they do when left peeled and uneaten! So combined that banana with another from the fruitbowl that looked past its best and whipped up this recipe. Ta-da ! instant banana bread muffins :) Came out so perfect that I just had to write a reply to your post. So folks, this is the best recipe to date !
PS: I made mine into muffins (cook for 20 mins) because I had family dropping in and didn't have time to bake it as a full loaf. Delicious!
Claire says
Hi Karen. Thanks so much for sharing. I bet your family were rather happy to get a freshly-baked banana bread muffin!
The Communal Pantry says
That looks fabulous...In need of a good Banana Bread recipe for my bunch of very ripe bananas. This should shut my Hubby up!
Claire says
I hope he likes it!
Daisy@Nevertoosweet says
I smiled when you said you don't like bananas but you like banana bread :) I'm always craving good and moist banana bread hehe yummy!
Claire says
It's a little bit pathetic isn't it. I think it's the texture of bananas that I don't like cause I also like banana in my smoothies.
Hotly Spiced says
Oh, I love banana bread too and it's so good sliced then toasted with melting butter for breakfast. Your loaf looks perfect!
Claire says
I've still got more recipes to sample. It's a tough life blogging isn't it?
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
I love banana bread. I remember one of the very first events I held I have a banana bread bake off and there were so many delicious entries! This was of course not during the banana shortage :P
Claire says
Banana bread bake off?!?! Why have I never done this before? What a brilliant idea.