Description
This Moist Banana Bread is rich, soft, and packed with natural banana sweetness. Made with ripe bananas, warm spices, and a touch of vanilla, this easy-to-make recipe results in a tender, flavorful loaf with a golden-brown crust. Whether enjoyed plain, with nuts, or a chocolate chip twist, this banana bread is perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Serve it warm with butter or a drizzle of honey for the ultimate treat!
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
Wet Ingredients:
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (or brown sugar for a deeper flavor)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (or coconut oil for dairy-free option)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup plain yogurt or sour cream (for extra moisture)
- 2 tbsp milk (or dairy-free alternative)
Optional Add-ins:
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
1. Prepping the Ingredients:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Mixing the Batter:
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In another bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the sugar, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, yogurt, and milk until well combined.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Do not overmix.
- If using nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in gently.
3. Baking the Banana Bread:
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- If the top starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
4. Cooling and Serving:
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature with a spread of butter or honey.
Notes
- Banana Ripeness: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. Use bananas with brown spots for the best results.
- Make-Ahead Tip: This banana bread stays moist for up to 4 days at room temperature and can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap slices individually for easy grab-and-go snacks.
- Healthier Option: Swap half the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour, reduce the sugar, or use applesauce instead of butter for a lighter version.
- Dairy-Free Alternative: Use coconut oil instead of butter and almond milk instead of regular milk.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (~90g)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg