Moist and delicious banana bread recipe. Easy to make, no need for a mixer! Ripe bananas, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and flour.
This banana bread has been the most popular recipe on Simply Recipes for over 10 years. Thousands of people make it every day. Why?
Because it really is the best banana bread recipe, period. You can mix everything in one bowl, you can vary the amount of sugar or bananas. And the secret to its great flavor? Melted butter.
The beauty of this banana bread recipe is you don’t need a fancy mixer! A mixing bowl, a fork to whisk the eggs and a sturdy spoon to mix the batter are all you need. The sugar amount is flexible. The original recipe called for a cup of white sugar, but most people, including me, do just fine with 3/4 of a cup, and many are happy with a 1/2 cup.
You can toss in a cup of chopped nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips if you want, or put the batter into muffin tins and make banana nut muffins instead. You can even go a step further and make chocolate banana bread.
I was given this banana bread recipe years ago from my friend Heidi H, who, many years before, had begged the recipe from a ski buddy’s mother—Mrs. Hockmeyer. Thanks Heidi!
- Wondering how to freeze, store and thaw your banana bread? Click here for all the ins and outs on how to keep your banana bread at its best!
How to make banana bread
Banana Bread Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Cook time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Makes one loaf
No need for a mixer for this recipe! Clean-up is easy too, if you want, you can mix everything in one mixing bowl.
The best bananas to use for banana bread are those that are over-ripe. The yellow peels should be at least half browned, and the bananas inside squishy and browning.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
- 1/3 cup melted butter, unsalted or salted
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup sugar (1/2 cup if you would like it less sweet, 1 cup if more sweet)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
Method
1 Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C), and butter a 4×8-inch loaf pan.
2 In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir the melted butter into the mashed bananas.
3 Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour.
4 Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F (175°C), or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
5 Remove from oven and let cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then remove the banana bread from the pan and let cool completely before serving. Slice and serve. (A bread knife helps to make slices that aren’t crumbly.)
