The Ultimate Banana Bread

Alice in Grains
by Alice in Grains
1 Loaf
1 hr 15 min

To me, banana bread is the ultimate no-fuss, rustic loaf - designed to use up those gross over-ripe bananas and turn them into a delicious snack to enjoy throughout the day. With that said, this recipe is simple (beginner friendly!), can pretty much be made in one bowl, and doesn’t require any special equipment. This recipe was originally derived from the wonderful Nigella Lawson, and adapted by my mom in the early 2000’s. I’ve continued the tradition of making it ever since, with some tweaks here and there.


One thing I’ve noticed after making this recipe dozens of times is that it’s really flexible on how many bananas you need to use up. If you need to get rid of 4 instead of 2 bananas, then add an extra tablespoon of flour. Even if you don’t adjust the flour your loaf will still be delicious, just a little denser and will need to be cooked longer (more on this below). Is banana bread nostalgic for you? Let me know if you have any memories or BB hacks in the comments. Happy New Year!


Gather your ingredients and prep your loaf pan. I like to either coat my pan in butter then add a tablespoon of flour, tapping it around the pan to make sure it's all coated (tapping out the extra) OR spray it with a little PAM and add some parchment paper (pictured above).

Once your butter, sugar, honey and vanilla extract are all mixed together you'll add in your mashed bananas & whisk. Once you're finished incorporating your wet ingredients, slowly add the dry, any mix-ins & fold everything together until just combined.

Since the quantity of your mashed bananas will vary, your dough can look anything from "cakey" to a little looser. This consistency will impact the cook time but not the flavor!

All prettied up & ready to bake! For an added little crunch, sprinkle a little Demerara (raw sugar) on the top before placing in the oven.

Enjoy your finished bread for breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack or even dinner (I won't judge). Checkout my instagram highlights for a video version of me making this recipe - note that it has some tweaks, but still the general process!

Recipe details
  • 1  Loaf
  • Prep time: 15 Minutes Cook time: 60 Minutes Total time: 1 hr 15 min
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Ingredients
Banana Bread
  • 1 1/4 Cups AP Flour
  • 2 Tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Tsp Salt
  • 9 Tbs Unsalted Butter (melted)
  • 1/4 Cup Sugar
  • 1/4 Cup Honey (if you don't have honey, increase the sugar amount to 3/4 cups)
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2-4 Bananas (I usually use two large ones - total weight around 400g)
  • 1/3 Cup Chopped Walnuts, Pecans or Rum Soaked Raisins
Instructions
Dry Ingredients
Set oven to 325ºF & prep your loaf pan.
In a small bowl mix together all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt). Set aside.
Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl mix together softened or melted butter with sugar, honey and vanilla extract.
Add in eggs, one at a time, then mashed bananas. Whisk to combine. The mixture will likely be lumpy - try to break it up as much as possible but that's natural!
Combine & Bake
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients & using a silicone spatula fold/mix to combine.
Now it's time for your mix-ins! I like to use either toasted walnuts or pecans, but rum soaked raisins are also delicious! Whatever you choose, fold to combine (or omit altogether).
Pour your batter into your prepped loaf pan. I like to sprinkle some demerara (raw sugar) over the top for an added crunch/sparkle/sweetness.
Bake for about 60 minutes. If you use less bananas (for example 2 medium), I would check it at 45 minutes and make sure a toothpick or knife when inserted comes out clean. If you use more like 4 bananas then this could take up to 75 minutes. Let cool slightly, serve with some butter & enjoy!
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