A classic banana bread recipe will always make a great afternoon snack or quick breakfast. Slather it in a little salted butter for the perfect treat. With this recipe, you can count on it to be moist and delicious!
I have made many many things over the years with bananas. The one banana recipe that always has and always will stand the test of time is my classic banana bread.
Everyone loves banana bread!
I give it out as a gift to new neighbors and co-workers. I eat it for breakfast, for a snack, or one of those midnight escapes to the kitchen. <— This isn’t just a thing they do in the movies right? We all actually wake up and sneak snacks in the dark?
Classic banana bread ingredients:
The key ingredients are, of course, bananas! You’ll need 3 medium sized bananas and they should be over-ripe. Extra brown and soft are the way to go!
A couple eggs, some butter, and both brown and white sugar are also needed.
This recipe includes plenty of vanilla and also some cinnamon for that delicious classic taste!
The rest is pretty standard stuff – flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix-in options:
When I feel like getting creative I toss in a handful of these to change it up just a bit.
- Chocolate chips
- Blueberries
- Chopped walnuts
- Raisins
- Apricots
Cooking steps:
All the “dry” ingredients should be mixed together in a medium bowl and set aside.
All the “wet” ingredients, including the sugars, should be mixed together. Save the eggs, vanilla, and bananas for last.
Beat the eggs in one at a time until fully combined. Then mix in the vanilla and mashed bananas.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. If you overmix your banana bread it’ll start to get tough and no one wants that.
Banana bread tips:
You can tell the bread is done when you insert a toothpick to the center and it comes out clean.
Banana bread will rise a little as it is baking. If it sinks after cooling, it’s no big deal, but it means that your bread likely wasn’t cooked all the way through OR you whipped in too much air when mixing. It’ll still be tasty.
This recipe does not need to be refrigerated if it will be consumed in a couple days.
You can freeze banana bread if you first wrap it in plastic wrap, then place it in a freezer bag. It can last 2-4 months this way.
Classic Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 medium over-ripe bananas mashed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Mix in the bananas.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined.
- Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then move to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This post was originally published in July 2012. It was updated with new photos in May 2020.
Mary ann says
I loved this recipe so much, however it does not give yield or how to use the pan. You can use 2 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 ,x 2 1/2 or 1 9 x 5 x3 load pan. Butter the bottom (only) ofeach pan. I also add a cup of choped walnuts or pecans. And l like to sprinkle brown on top. It makes it crunchie.
Sandra Dee says
Delicious!!!! Followed recipe and added walnuts and chocolate chips . Thank you for sharing ??
Sandra Dee says
Ok autocorrect at the end ? I meant thank you for sharing ?
Karly says
Thanks, Sandra!
Dee Jordan says
this is my go to recipe for banana and zucchini bread!!
Karly says
Thanks, Dee!
Denny Felizzi says
Okey. My girlfriend thought i was nuts. But i made my favorite. Banana bread french toast for breakfast. She LOVED IT!!!!
Also with, i know it is nuts but sour cream with some 10x sugar mixed up and dolliped on top.
So good she said.
Karly says
Oh, that sounds delicious!
Kathy says
Hi Karly,
When I make banana bread, this is just something I tried and it came out very tasty. I put one or two handfuls of Angel Flake Coconut, about 1/2 cup of finely diced mango, about 1/2 cup or more Reddi-Whip. When I am mixing in the dry ingredients, I put in a squirt or two of Reddi-Whip, until it was creamy. I used 3 eggs, 1 3/4 cups of flour, 1 tsp vanilla, and 1 1/2 cubes of butter softened, all the other same ingredients that you list. It was kind of a tropical tasting banana bread. You can try this and see if you agree to a tropical taste. If you wish to, you can share this with others. I am not a professional chef or cook, I just like to try something different and if it is tasty, then I share it.
Karly says
Hi Kathy! That sounds delicious! I bet it was super moist thanks to the Reddi-Whip. Thanks for sharing!
Kathy says
One step I forgot to put in, I bake the Banana Bread for 1 hour 15 minutes at 350F. Yes, it was very moist.
Shara Nagel says
Hello Karly, Thank you for these great recipes! I noticed in the classic banana bread recipe it has baking soda twice??
Is one of them suppose to be baking powder? If so, which one? Thanks so much.
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Karly says
Hi Shara! Sorry about that! It should be 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. 🙂
Carron Lee says
Hi may I know what size is the pan?
Karly says
A standard 9×5 loaf pan. 🙂