Banana Bread Recipe

With the Banana Bread recipe, you’re not just testing your baking skills, but you’re also making the most out of your bananas!

There is so much to love about the Banana Bread. It’s moist, decadent, and tender and feels like it just melts in your mouth. Every bite tastes sweet, fruity, and pleasant because of the fresh bananas.

It’s easy and quick to bake – perfect for cooking bread for the first time. Banana Bread is also one of the best dishes to serve for breakfast, snacks, or desserts for the entire family.

Once you have Banana Bread, you will experience just how tasty, versatile, and comforting it is. Let this delightful delicacy bring a smile to everyone’s faces and a sense of satisfaction for our appetites!

How to Make Banana Bread

Indeed, Banana Bread is the best recipe to kickstart your potential in baking. With fresh ripe or overripe bananas, you can cook something that smells good and tastes even better.

Let me tell you everything you need to know to cook the timeless Banana Bread!

Ingredients

Of all the Banana Bread recipes I tried, these ingredients worked best for me:

Bananas

What makes bananas the best fruits for bread?

Bananas have a naturally sweet and milky flavor that’s great for dishes and drinks. As long as they are ripe, they will be soft enough to mash with just your hands or a fork. You surely won’t have a hard time adding them to bread.

Instead of throwing away your overripe bananas, save them to cook this recipe. In fact, they can give your bread a sweeter and softer quality. The riper bananas are, the tastier the bread will be.

Most importantly, you should add bananas to your bread because of the health benefits you can get from them.

There are so many ways to enjoy bananas. I always have them in stock because my kids love Peanut Butter Banana Milkshake, Banana Strawberry Popsicles, and Fruit Smoothies. Wait until you taste them in your own Banana Bread!

Flour 

Just like other bread recipes, you will need flour to cook the Banana Bread.

The flour will give the bread the proper structure and texture inside and out. It will also make the bread light and fluffy. As you mix the bananas in the flour, the flavors will be distributed to make every bite yummy.

A Treat’s Affair suggests using all-purpose flour, bread flour, or wheat flour to make bread. Sometimes, I also use self-rising flour for a lighter texture. You can also use flour to make No-Oven Bread, Fluffy Donuts, and Almond Loaf!

Cashews and almonds

The Banana Bread is so versatile that you can even add cashews and almonds.

Take your banana bread recipe to the next level with nuts like cashews and almonds as garnish. These nuts are surely going to add a sweet, nutty, and earthy flavor to go with the bananas.

Cashews and almonds can also give a crunchy and chewy texture to the bread. Make good use of cashews and almonds by adding them to Granola, Oats Breakfast Smoothie, and Green Smoothie to go with the Banana Bread, too!

Cane sugar

Using sugar for your bread always makes a big difference.

While bananas are already sweet, you will still need cane sugar to add a sweet taste to the bread. The sugar can also give the dish a caramelized quality once it melts into the crumbs.

According to The Spruce Eats, cane sugar gives the bread a wonderful golden brown color too. It will also make the bread last longer in storage. There are also sugar substitutes you can use for the bread.

Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda 

It won’t be a bread recipe without your leavening agents.

In this recipe, I suggest using baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to let the bread rise for a puffy and airy texture. The leavening agents will prevent the batter from sinking to the bottom.

KitchenAid suggests using just the right amount of baking powder and bicarbonate of soda to prevent a bitter taste. I also use this combination to make Coconut Cake and Plantain Bread!

Salted butter 

Why should you add salted butter to the batter?

Using fat, like salted butter, for baking recipes is extremely important. It gives a creamy and buttery flavor to any pastry dish. The butter will also make the crumbs delicate and moist.

I suggest using salt butter because the salt also acts as a preserving agent to extend the bread’s shelf life. The Kitchn mentioned that salted butter could also make a good spread.

Eggs

Eggs are always essential in any bread recipe.

Adding eggs will help you get the right structure and texture from the inside out. The water from the eggs also plays a part in keeping the bread moist for a long time for an enriched quality.

Using eggs for bread recipes is surely going to give puffy and soft crumbs. Once baked, the eggs will also add a golden brown finish that’s fitting for Banana Bread. Busby’s Bakery also mentioned that eggs could add a rich flavor to bread recipes.

Evaporated milk 

The Banana Bread recipe won’t be complete without the milk.

Adding milk will make the bread softer and more tender. Even its slightly sweet and creamy flavor will make the dish better. There are also milk proteins that give the bread a delicate quality.

Using milk for the batter will also affect the bread’s shelf life. It also improves the color of the bread, making its crust brown and golden. Remember to use warm milk to get the results you’re looking for.

Milled linseeds 

In case you feel like something’s missing, maybe it needs some seeds.

Can you believe that these flaxseeds or linseeds have a buttery and nutty taste? They may be tiny, but they truly add great flavor to the bread. Like nuts, they give the bread a much better texture, too.

These are usually used for baking bread for a balanced flavor. Even raw, they will still taste delicious in the recipe. You can use different kinds of seeds that go well with the bread.

Seasoning

Improve the quality of the bread by adding vanilla extract and nutmeg. The vanilla extract will give the dish a jasmine-like and warm flavor. On the other hand, the nutmeg enriches the nutty and earthy taste.

A little bit of these spices can go a long way!

With these ingredients, you will know that this recipe is not an ordinary banana bread recipe. It is made special with nuts and other ingredients that your family and friends will surely enjoy!

Directions

It’s time for the fun part – baking the Banana Bread!

1. Mix the flour, cane sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, nutmeg, and milled linseed in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix eggs, vanilla extract, milk, and salted butter.
3. Use a masher to mash the bananas into the wet mixture. 
4. Add the wet batter to the dry mixture.
5. Stir the mixture with a spatula until well-mixed.
6. Then, add in the almonds and cashews.
7. Pour the batter into the greased baking pan.
8. Cover the pan with parchment paper.
9. Bake it in the oven at 160°C for 50 to 55 minutes.
10. After 25 minutes, remove the parchment paper and continue to bake.
11. Check for doneness using a cake tester or a skewer before taking it out heat.
12. Allow it to cool and serve for an aromatic, soft, and yummy Banana Bread!

You’ve got yourself an absolutely delicious Banana Bread by doing these easy steps! Slice into it and discover how beautifully textured it is!

Tips

Bananas

Buying bananas

• The Produce Moms suggests buying firm and plump bananas.
• Check if the stem is still intact.
• You can also buy overripe bananas as long as they are not too mushy.

Storing bananas

• You can store ripe bananas at room temperature to use within a few days.
• Once ripe, keep them in the fridge until ready to use.

Ripening bananas

• Bananas in bunches tend to ripen faster.
• You can also place the bananas in paper bags.
• Place them neat fruits and vegetables to ripen faster.

Banana Bread Variations

There are plenty of other banana bread recipes you can try!

For instance, you can use plantains instead of bananas. You can also include chocolate, berries, apples, raisins, cheese, peanut butter, coffee, desiccated coconuts, carrots, peaches, mangoes, and more. 

Make gluten-free banana bread with gluten-free flour, coconut flour, almond flour, or oat flour. You can also make it vegan by replacing the eggs with egg substitutes and using almond milk instead of evaporated milk. 

No-Oven Banana Bread

Preheat a large pot for a few minutes. Place a cooling rack in the middle and put the baking pan and batter inside. Then, cover the pan. Let it cook on low to medium heat for 45 or until done.

More Bread Recipes

• Plantain Bread – cook your bread with starchy plantains
• No-Oven Bread – steam the bread to cook it to perfection
• Air Fryer Bread – get light and fluffy bread by cooking it in your air fryer
• Bread Pizza – use your bread to make pizza for everyone
• Braided Bread – your bread will look so beautiful and inviting when you braid it
• Soft Bread – bread that feels like it’s melting in your mouth

Recommended Tools

• Oven: Bake the Banana Bread in the oven.
• Baking pan: Pour the batter into a baking pan. 
• Bowl: Mix the ingredients in a glass bowl.
• Spatula: Combine the contents with a spatula. 
• Cake tester: Use a cake tester to check for doneness. 
• Parchment paper: Cover the pan with parchment paper.
• Masher: Puree the bananas with a masher.

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How to Serve Banana Bread

What’s your favorite way of serving Banana Bread?

The simplest way to enjoy it is to slice it and eat it as it is. It’s always good to taste it on its own first. You can also toast with a smear of butter on top for a warm and rich flavor.

Banana Bread tastes great with different kinds of spreads and fillings, especially those with cream cheese. Nut butter, jams, and fruit jellies are also perfect for pastries like this.

Most of the time, I drizzle honey, maple syrup, or other sauces on top of the bread, too. You can even make a parfait with the slices by layering them with yogurt and fresh fruits.

From banana bread slices, you can also make ice cream sandwiches, bread pudding, and even grilled cheese. Banana bread is perfect for breakfast, but you can also serve it as a snack or dessert.

Here are other dishes that will go with the Banana Bread:

• Oatmeal Smoothie – complete your meal with a smoothie drink
• Banana Ice Cream – make it a filling for your Banana Bread
• Almond Butter – smear a new nut butter flavor on your bread
• Cashew Butter – taste how cashew butter makes the bread better
• Turmeric Tea – drink some tea without bread in the morning
• French Toast – cook your bread into crunchy French Toast
• Plantain Porridge – feel comfort in bread and a hot porridge
• Fruit Salad – make it a healthy meal with a salad on the side

Storage Tips

• At room temperature: According to Baking Kneads, you can store banana bread on the counter for up to four days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is banana bread healthy or unhealthy?

The Banana Bread is definitely healthy. Made from fresh bananas, you can be sure that the bread can be good for your energy, digestion, weight loss, heart function, immunity, and overall health.

Why does banana bread get moist?

To get a moist Banana Bread, you need to be sure to use just enough bananas. Also, add milk and eggs to support the moisture once you bake the bread.

Does banana bread keep cooking?

Yes, it does. After you cook the bread, it continues to cook while it rests at room temperature. Hence, you might notice that the color changes as you set it on a cooling rack.

Why not use baking powder in banana bread?

Since this recipe uses regular evaporated milk, I decided to use baking powder. However, I don’t suggest using baking powder if you use milk like sour cream or buttermilk because these are acidic and require baking soda.