This classic comfort dessert delivers moist, tender crumb loaded with natural banana flavor and a hint of warm spices. Perfect for breakfast, snacking, or gifting, this foolproof recipe transforms overripe bananas into a golden-brown loaf that fills your kitchen with an irresistible aroma.
⏱️80 min
📊Easy
👥12 servings
🍽️Dessert
vegetarianbudget-friendlyfamily
Ingredients
3 piecesoverripe bananas
200 gall-purpose flour
150 ggranulated sugar
85 gunsalted butter
2 pieceseggs
1 tspbaking soda
0.5 tspsalt
1 tspvanilla extract
0.5 tspground cinnamon
Instructions
1PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper, ensuring the bottom and all sides are well-coated. This prevents sticking and ensures easy removal of your finished bread.
2PREPARE THE BANANAS: Peel 3 overripe bananas with dark spots on the skin—these contain maximum sweetness and moisture. Slice them into chunks and place in a medium bowl, then mash thoroughly with a fork until mostly smooth with some small lumps remaining. Overripe bananas should yield about 1 cup of mashed banana, which is essential for the bread's moisture and natural sweetness.
3CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a large mixing bowl, combine 85g softened unsalted butter and 150g granulated sugar. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat for 2-3 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color—this creaming process incorporates air for a lighter crumb. Scrape down the bowl frequently to ensure even mixing.
4COMBINE WET INGREDIENTS: Add 2 eggs one at a time to the creamed butter mixture, beating well after each addition for about 30 seconds. Then add 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated. Pour the mashed bananas into the mixture and fold gently with a spatula until just combined, being careful not to overmix, which can result in a dense loaf.
5MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, whisk together 200g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 0.5 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon. Whisking the baking soda evenly throughout the flour ensures even rise and no bitter pockets of unreacted baking soda. The cinnamon adds warm spice that complements the banana beautifully.
6COMBINE AND BAKE: Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and fold together gently with a spatula until just combined—stop folding as soon as no flour streaks are visible. Overmixing develops gluten and creates toughness, so restraint is key. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smooth the top with a spatula, and bake for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
7COOL AND SERVE: Remove the banana bread from the oven when golden brown on top and a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This allows the structure to set properly—slicing too early results in crumbly pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with butter or cream cheese.