Super soft and fluffy banana bread made from ripe mashed bananas, plain flour, baking soda, milk, egg, sugar and vanilla essence. Serve with a generous spread of butter.
I love baking with bananas, and I have so many great recipes on my website. However, we recently realised we didn't have a Banana Bread! So super-baker Grace got on the case and delivered a winner of a recipe.
For other great banana recipes, be sure to check out my Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf, Banana Chocolate Self-Saucing Pudding or my Banana Bran Mini Loaves.
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Ingredient notes:
- Bananas: The colour of these bananas is perfect for making banana bread. Bananas that are too yellow or green won't mash properly and will impact the texture of the bread.
- Flour:The recipe calls for plain flour. The rising agent is the baking soda.
- Butter: I do most of my baking with salted butter simply because I like how it tastes! Feel free to use unsalted butter if you prefer.
Note: Scroll to the recipe card for the ingredients, quantities and the full method.
Step by step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 24 x 13 cm loaf tin with baking paper. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
Add the melted butter, egg, sugar and vanilla essence to the bowl then mix to combine.
Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into the bowl, then gently fold together.
Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and spread it out to the edges.
Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes until golden on top and a cake skewer comes out clean. Serve with a generous amount of butter.
For something a little different, why not try the Carrot Cake Loaf on the website? It's designed to be eaten without icing, more like a banana bread.
Recipe FAQs:
Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the centre of the bread. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the banana bread is done. Be careful not to overbake, as this can lead to a dry texture.
Yes, you can use frozen bananas for banana bread. Thaw them completely before using, and be aware that they might release more liquid, so you may need to adjust the recipe accordingly.
Storage:
Store any leftover banana bread in an airtight container in the pantry for up to three days. If it starts to dry out, you can always toast it.
Banana bread is great for freezing. Keep the loaf in the baking paper and allow to cool completely. Wrap in cling film or place in a freezer bag in the freezer for up to three months. Allow to defrost completely before eating.
Top tips:
I store all my over-ripe bananas in the freezer in a snap lock bag. I peel the bananas, then break them into little chunks and seal the bag up. I grab out a handful at a time for making smoothies or baking.
Related Recipes:
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Banana Bread
Homemade banana bread made from mashed bananas, melted butter, egg, sugar, vanilla essence, flour, baking soda and salt.
Ingredients
- 3 bananas (1 cup mashed)
- 110g butter, melted
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 ⅔ cups plain flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C fan bake. Line a 24 x 13 cm loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork.
- Add the melted butter, egg, sugar and vanilla essence to the bowl then mix to combine.
- Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into the bowl then gently fold together.
- Pour the mixture into the lined loaf tin and spread it out to the edges.
- Place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes until golden on top and a cake skewer comes out clean.
Notes
- If you’re using frozen bananas, you can microwave them to room temperature.
- The amount of bananas in the recipe is flexible, as long as you end up with at least a cup once mashed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 253Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 321mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 3g
Nutritional values are approximate. Please use your own calculations if you require a special diet.
Thank you for checking out this recipe. I hope you enjoy making and eating it! If you have any questions, queries or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
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Vanya
Betty says
I made this for morning tea and everybody loved it! Thanks for you all your great recipes, VJ!
Josephine says
Did you use plain flour or self rasing?
VJ cooks says
The recipe calls for plain flour. The rising agent is the baking soda.
Jan says
Why is there milk in the pic of ingredients but not in the list of ingredients??
VJ cooks says
That's sugar in the measuring cup.
Jacinta says
Hi, should the recipe have baking powder? My banana bread looks a little flat
VJ cooks says
Sorry to hear that. The rising agent is the baking soda. The efficacy of baking soda can deplete over time, be sure to check the expiry date.
Elle says
Yum thanks!
Louise says
This recipe was so easy to follow especially as I had my 6 year old helping me. Made this loaf on a whim to use up some ripe bananas, it did not disappoint. I took the loaf to the in-laws and everyone was very impressed with it. I also threw in some extra chocolate chips and it went down a treat. Lovely and moist and oh so yummy there was none left! I’ll be using this recipe more often. Thanks for the recipe
VJ cooks says
Oh I love that. Thanks for the feedback, Louise 🙂
Monique says
I have made this 4 times in 5 days lol it's sooo good it gets eaten very fast !! Great recipe thank you
VJ cooks says
Hahaha I love that! It's such an easy and tasty recipe.
Jedidiah says
thank you for your beautiful recipe, but I really think that you should swap the white sugar for the brown sugar as this really makes the flavour better and the bread fluffier
VJ cooks says
Hot tip! I love it the way I made it but as always I encourage you to make it your own 🙂
Brenda Johnstone says
I have just made the banana bread and it is soft, moist and delicious, put butter on of course.It vanished in a few minutes. Only took 35min on fanbake and had to use self raising flour as no plain in the pantry. I still used the baking soda though.
VJ cooks says
Good to know! Thanks for your feedback, Brenda.