This Moist Banana Bread Recipe is an easy, old-fashioned favorite made with three ripe bananas, butter, and simple pantry ingredients. With its tender crumb, rich banana flavor, and golden crust, this homemade banana bread is perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or a comforting treat with your morning coffee.
One of the best things about this classic banana bread is how simple it is to prepare. You don’t need any special ingredients, and the batter comes together in about 15 minutes. The secret to its delicious flavor is using bananas that are fully ripe, preferably with plenty of brown spots on their skins. As bananas ripen, they become sweeter and softer, making them ideal for baking.
This recipe combines softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar for a rich, tender loaf. Eggs provide structure, while a tablespoon of milk adds moisture. All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt complete the batter. There are no complicated steps or unusual ingredients, making this a great banana bread recipe for beginners.
Start by creaming the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the mashed bananas and milk. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make banana bread dense or tough.
Pour the batter into a buttered 9 × 5-inch loaf pan. A nonstick 9 × 5-inch loaf pan is a useful baking tool for making evenly shaped quick breads that release easily after cooling.
Bake at 325°F for approximately 60–70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack.
Serve your homemade banana bread plain, toasted, or spread with a little butter. It’s also a wonderful way to use overripe bananas instead of letting them go to waste.
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Moist Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1:30
- Yield: 4-6 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.
- Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Mix in the milk. In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the banana mixture to the creamed mixture and stir until combined. Add dry ingredients, mixing just until flour disappears.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove bread from pan, invert onto rack and cool completely before slicing.
- Spread slices with butter and enjoy.
Notes
Tips for Moist Banana Bread
Choose ripe bananas. Bananas with plenty of brown spots are softer and sweeter, giving the loaf better banana flavor.
Use softened butter. Room-temperature butter creams more easily with sugar and helps create a tender crumb.
Avoid overmixing. Once the flour is added, stir only until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing can make banana bread dense.
Check the center. Begin testing near the end of the baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Cool before slicing. Let the bread rest in its pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack. Cooling helps the loaf hold together when sliced.
Store properly. Keep cooled banana bread in an airtight container for a few days, or wrap slices tightly and freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: :15
- Cook Time: 1:15
- Category: Snack Bread
- Method: Oven