Banana Bread Recipe
Left over bananas are begging to be turned into this moist and easy Banana Bread Recipe! It’s loaded with sweet bananas but is surprisingly not overly sweet like other recipes which is why I cut thick slices.
I love how this freezes so easily in zip lock bags making it the perfect on the go treat. It’s a café style banana bread which takes 10 minutes to prepare. Once it’s baked you’re on your way to the best banana bread ever and no over ripe bananas in the fridge!
I make this twice a month, Anthony takes it to work as morning tea, and we sometimes take it to the zoo as well. It’s just an all round easy, deliciously moist and happy banana bread recipe! Happy, because of how easy it is to make!
I’ve got some other great banana treats on the blog
You might like to check out my café style Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins and Easy Passionfruit Banana Bread with Dreamy Cream Cheese Frosting are winners!
Table of Contents
Why you should make this Banana Bread.
Apart from this delicious dessert being incredibly moist, there are so many things to love about it!
- Quick and easy to make – It takes 10 minutes to make and then once it’s baked, you’re eating delicious banana bread!
- So moist! That’s because of the Greek yogurt, brown sugar and of course over ripe bananas!
- Freezable – Pop each slice into zip lock bags and you’re onto a winner!
- Café style results! This banana bread is like like the ones at cafes. You know, those thick slices of banana bread you buy with your coffee to treat yourself? Now you can save money and make it yourself!
- Not overly sweet like other banana breads!
Ingredients You Need To Make the most amazing Banana Bread
Note: the whole recipe, including the ingredient quantities, can be found at the bottom of this page – just scroll down to the bottom, or click the ‘Jump to Recipe’ button at the top of this post.
Jump to Recipe
- Flour – I used all-purpose flour.
- Sugar – I used caster sugar, also known as superfine sugar. You can use granulated sugar if you wish.
- Brown sugar – I used regular brown sugar. You can use light or dark depending on how strong you want the flavor to be. Brown sugar provides an incredible amount of moisture to this banana bread.
- Bicarb soda – also known as baking soda or bicarbonate of soda, helps this bread rise.
- Salt – I used fine salt.
- Cinnamon – I used ground cinnamon.
- Bananas – it’s important to use over ripe bananas. I used bananas that were really spotty and were begging to be made into a deliciously moist banana bread like this. If you don’t have ripe bananas, you can still use yellow bananas and ripen them yourself! I’ve got more info on this in my FAQ’s section of this post.
- Eggs – I used large eggs. Make sure your eggs are at room temperature.
- Butter – I used unsalted butter. Make sure your melted butter is slightly cooled before using.
- Greek yogurt – this helps make the banana bread really moist. You can use sour cream in its place.
- Vanilla Extract – Always use good quality vanilla extract when baking, it makes a huge difference. I have a great recipe here for it if you’d like to try your own!
- Walnuts – chop your walnuts up before adding to the batter. Otherwise there’ll be large chunks of walnuts.
- Cold butter – this is an awesome trick! To get that iconic part/split at the top of your banana bread (or any breads) add a strip of cold butter on top of the batter right before baking. It makes each slice of banana bread look like it’s baked at a professional bakery!
How to make Banana Bread!
- Add dry ingredients to your bowl and mix.
- Add the remaining ingredients to a separate bowl and mix together.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix.
- Line your cake loaf tin with baking paper. I added clips to keep the paper in place.
- Add the batter to the tin
- Spread around evenly.
- Add butter strips along the top
- Sprinkle with oats (optional)
- Bake 60-70 min
Tips and Tricks For Recipe Success!
- The butter trick! It’s super easy to get that iconic split at the top of your banana bread. It’s cold butter! Cut little matchstick sized bars of cold butter using a sharp knife and
- Make sure your bananas are ripe – It’s what makes this bread tasty, perfectly sweet and moist.
- You can add raisins to your bread if you like. Personally, I don’t think raisins belong in baked treats, (just my opinion). I would opt in for a cup of dark chocolate chips.
Frequently Asked Questions about RECIPE
What does it taste like?
Lovely banana flavor, brown sugar but not overly sweet. I love how soft this cake is and how moist it is. Plus those creamy walnuts are a welcome bit of crunchy texture!
How do I store this?
You can freeze each slice in a zip lock freezer bag which will last 2 months. Microwave 10 seconds to thaw. Or store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Can I leave the walnuts out?
Yep! You can add raisins to your bread if you like. Personally, I don’t think raisins belong in baked treats, (just my opinion). I would opt in for a cup of dark chocolate chips. Pecans would work too!
How to ripen bananas!
Don’t have ripe bananas and desperate to make this? No problem! You can ripen yellow bananas by placing them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Bake them on 150C / 300F for 30 minutes or until soft and gooey. The banana skins will darken completely, and the banana will almost liquify. Let them cool once baked and use in your banana bread like normal ripe bananas.
Gave this a go? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok for more great recipes!
Dessert ideas to have with your tea please!
If you’re after some other dessert ideas to have with your morning tea or coffee, check these out!
-
Chocolate Chip Blondies
-
Cookies And Cream Cupcakes
-
French Macarons
-
Linzer Cookies
-
Amaretti Cookies
-
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me @thescranline on Facebook and Instagram!
Banana Bread Recipe
Serves 8
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 1 3/4 cups (265 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (105 g) caster sugar or granulated
- 1/3 cup (65 g) brown sugar (see notes)
- 1 tsp bicarb soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups (460 g) ripe bananas, mashed well (about 4 large bananas)
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1/2 cup (125 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup (60 g) Greek yogurt or sour cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts chocolate chips or pecans (optional)
- 1 tbsp (20 g) cold butter cut into thin strips
- quick oats to sprinkle on top optional
Instructions
Banana Bread
- Preheat a fan-forced oven to 200C / 400F. Spray a 22cm x 13cm 9 x 5-inch loaf tin with oil spray and line the bottom and sides with baking paper. Set aside.
- To a large bowl add the flour, sugar, brown sugar, bicarb soda, salt and cinnamon and use a whisk to combine. Set aside.
- To a separate bow or jug add the mashed bananas (mash them well), lightly beaten eggs, melted and cooled butter, Greek yogurt and vanilla extract and whisk to combine. Add to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to combine until no dry ingredients are visible. Take care not to overmix otherwise you’ll end up with a tough banana bread!
- Pour into the loaf tin. Line the butter strips across the top of the batter to get that nice split down the center as the bread bakes. Sprinkle with oats (optional). Bake for 15 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 160C / 320F and bake for another 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Notes
Nutrition
6 comments
I’ve made a few different banana bread recipes in my 32 years but this takes the cake by a mile. Maybe it’s because I’m pregnant – but honest to goodness this is the bomb.
I swapped the granulated sugar for Splenda and I added one tsp of baking powder and walnuts into the batter. It’s beyond perfect 😍
Thanks so much Justine! Glad you enjoyed it! N x
I’ve tried SO many banana bread recipes. This one is by far the best! Thanks Nick!
Thanks Karlin! I’m so glad to hear that! N x
Delicious, very good recipe, I replaced the oats w a cinnamon streusel on top.
We are almost the whole thing in one day which is amazing because I don’t usually like banana bread, but it was amazing 🤩
Yum! Biggest compliment ever! N x