Mmm holiday season! Packages have started arriving on my front porch, we switched out the white twinkle lights for fun colored ones, stockings are up and the tree is lit! It's only half done but we're getting there. Now a staple around my house for this festive month is banana bread. Loaves and loaves of banana bread. To be specific, Easy Classic Banana Bread.
Not only is banana bread the easiest/best way to use up overly ripe bananas, it's just delicious. One of my go-to comfort foods. This recipe is the most basic way I make it, no bells and whistles, just easy, simple and tasty. Of course, feel free to add your favorites if you so desire! I'm not a fan of nuts so no walnuts for me but I do often add a cup of chocolate chips, because hello, chocoholic here.
One note: I have noticed a difference when using bananas that have been kept in the freezer to keep them from going from overripe to spoiled. They can give the final product a bit of a different texture, making it a little more dense. Frozen bananas still work but I find the bread bakes up better using fresh overripe bananas. Now go get baking some banana bread!
Easy Classic Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 1 Loaf 1x
Ingredients
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- 3-4 bananas, very ripe (around 2 cups)
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until completely combined.
- Add the eggs, and vanilla extract and whisk until thoroughly mixed.
- In a separate bowl, mash up the bananas. Add to the egg mixture and stir until combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and stir until just combined.
- Bake for 60-70 minutes (depending on your oven), rotating halfway through baking. If the top gets dark brown before the middle is cooked, cover gently with a piece of foil and continue baking.
- When a toothpick inserted into the middle of the loaf comes out clean, remove the bread from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for l0 minutes. Serve warm.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 70 mins
Dan says
This was a gorgeous looking bread. It was good to eat cold or tasty when warmed up. Good for snacking days after the chef has prepared it.
Linda says
Great taste, I enjoyed eating it while still warm. I must say it was the best banana cake/bread I have eaten.
Texture - soft in the inside and crispy on the outside, although it has tendency to crumble while eating using a fork.
I used a water oven to bake (combination of steam and convection) AT 180 C for 60 mins.
I used 3 very ripe banana which I had to keep in the fridge for a couple of days before I could find time to bake. Water seeped out of the banana before mashing it. I did not removed the water, all went into the mixture.
Thank you for the recipe and I really enjoyed eating it. I can't wait to have it for breakfast the next day.
Aberdeen says
Thank you so much!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Never used a water oven, it sounds amazing. I'll have to look into it!
Irena says
Is it big ripe bananas or small ones???
Aberdeen says
Enough for about 2 cups!
Jan Salotti says
I tried this recipe to make mini loaves for Christmas. It was very thick and I had some concern about it raising, but it rose beautifully and looked wonderful. My husband and I tried one warm and it was delicious. Thank you for a great banana bread recipe.
Jan