Everyday Banana Bread
One bowl, no mixer, and the best use for black bananas.
This is the loaf to make when your bananas have gone brown and soft. The darker they are, the sweeter the bread. Plain yellow ones won't do much. No mixer needed, just a whisk and a spatula. It stays moist for days.
👩🍳 Method
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1
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
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2
Mash the bananas in a big bowl until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
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3
Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon on top. Fold with a spatula just until the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine. Don't overmix, or the bread turns gummy.
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4
Pour into the tin and smooth the top. If you like, lay a halved banana on top, or scatter over some nuts or chocolate chips.
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5
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden and a skewer in the middle comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely with foil after 40 minutes.
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6
Let it cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then lift it out onto a rack. Wait until it's fully cool before slicing, as it's still setting inside while warm.
💡 Baker's tips
- No ripe bananas? Bake whole unpeeled yellow bananas at 150°C for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins blacken; they'll be soft and sweet enough to use.
- Weigh the mashed banana (340 g) rather than trusting 'three bananas', since banana size varies a lot.
🔀 Make it your own
- Fold in 100 g chocolate chips or 75 g chopped walnuts before baking.
- Swap 60 g of the flour for the same weight of cocoa powder for a marbled chocolate-banana loaf.
📦 Storing & freezing
Wrapped at room temperature for 3 to 4 days, or freeze slices individually for up to 3 months.
❓ Frequently asked
How many bananas make 1½ cups mashed?
About 3 medium bananas, which is roughly 340 g mashed. Use the mashed banana converter to scale it precisely.
Why is my banana bread gummy in the middle?
Usually overmixing or under-baking. Fold only until the flour disappears, and bake until a skewer comes out with just a few dry crumbs.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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