Description
Moist and delicious homemade banana bread, perfect for breakfast, snack, or dessert. Easy to make with simple ingredients and customizable with nuts, chocolate chips, or cinnamon.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3–4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prepare Bananas: Mash ripe bananas until mostly smooth.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add melted butter to mashed bananas and stir. Stir in baking soda and salt. Add granulated sugar and stir until mostly dissolved. Pour in beaten egg and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gradually add flour to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add Optional Ingredients: Gently fold in any optional ingredients like nuts, chocolate chips, or cinnamon.
- Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare Pan: Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- Pour Batter: Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Tent with foil if browning too quickly.
- Cool: Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and Serve: Let the banana bread cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving. Serve plain or with butter, cream cheese, or your favorite spread.
Notes
- For extra moist banana bread, add 1/4 cup of sour cream or plain yogurt.
- For a richer flavor, use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- Toast nuts before adding for a nuttier flavor.
- Add 1/2 cup cocoa powder for a chocolatey twist.
- Tent with foil during the last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent burning.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. Freeze for up to 2 months.
- To make gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend containing xanthan gum.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes