Nothing beats a homemade banana bread. And nothing is more delicious than this easy classic Banana Bread. Yep, no mixer needed, just mash, stir and bake. This quick bread recipe comes out soft and moist and loaded with plenty of banana flavor. It’s been a family favorite for over 50 years! Grab a piece for breakfast, snack time or even dessert.
Moist Banana Bread
I sure hope you like bananas because this post has everything to do with that delicious fruit. Why? My banana trees are back at it and producing some of the largest bunches of bananas I’ve had in a while. When that happens I need to put my banana thinking cap on and come up with 5 or 6 banana recipes so I can make use of all that yummy home-grown produce.
The problem is they all ripen at once, all 100+ of them! Yikes! So I give tons away to neighbors, freeze up slices for my smoothies and bake with the rest of them. I definitely don’t want to waste them. Bananas off of our trees taste much more tropical than the ones you can purchase in the store so I want to use every last one before they go bad. Plus they’re so good for you! It’s like nature packaged a convenient snack that’s easy to carry with you and provides all sorts of vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy.
I’ve been making this supremely moist banana bread for close to 50 years now and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of it. I can even remember back to the first time I made it as a young girl in girl scouts. Everyone in my family asked for the recipe and they’ve been making it just as long as I have. It’s that easy and that delicious!
Frequently Asked Questions on Baking Banana Bread
How ripe should my bananas be?
Your bananas should be ripe with many black spots and even better if they’re almost black. The more ripe they are the softer and sweeter they are. The ripeness of the bananas effects both the taste and texture of the bread. The more ripe the moister and sweeter the bread.
What if I my bananas aren’t ripe enough?
All you need to do is place them in a 300 degree oven and bake for 15-20 minutes then let them cool. Or, if you have 1-2 days, place them in a paper bag with a ripe apple and seal.
Why do I need to use overripe bananas?
Using bananas that are soft and mushy lends more flavor and makes the banana bread moist.
How long will classic banana bread last at room temperature?
Mine has lasted up to one week, sealed in aluminum foil.
Can I freeze my banana bread?
Most definitely! It freezes very well. I like to place mine in a resealable plastic bag meant for the freezer. Freeze it whole or slice it for thawing one piece at a time for a fresh delicious snack. I like to pop mine in the microwave for several seconds then gobble it down warm.
Baking Tips for a Moist Banana Bread
- You may think more bananas are better but this can make the bread much too dense.
- Batter will be thick. Do not add any additional liquids.
- Do not overbeat the batter as this will cause the bread to rise then fall after baking. Stir til just mixed.
- When baking, check at the 45 minute mark and again at 1 hour to make sure bread doesn’t overbake. Overbaking will cause the bread to dry out.
Easy Steps To Make This Easy Classic Banana Bread
- Place shortening and sugar in medium bowl. (photo 1)
- Cream sugar and shortening. This can be done by hand with a potato masher or a fork. Doing it this way will prevent overmixing. (photo 2)
- Add eggs and mix until blended. (photo 3)
- Add ripe bananas and stir. (photo 4)
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. (photo 5)
- Add to wet ingredients. Stirring until just incorporated. (photo 6)
- Batter will be stiff. DO NOT ADD EXTRA LIQUID. (photo 7)
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean. (photo 8)
- Remove bread from oven and let cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes then remove loaf from pan and place on wire rack to cool completely.
A simple, just about foolproof recipe, that comes out delicious every time. It can be served plain, with honey butter (recipe in notes below), cream cheese frosting or even peanut butter frosting. Believe me, once you bake this easy classic banana bread, it will be your go-to quick bread going forward. Enjoy!
Too Many Ripe Bananas? Try These Recipes!
Banana Nut Granola from 2CM
Banana Upside Down Cake from 2CM
Homemade Banana Pudding from House of Nash Eats
Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins from 2CM
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- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 3-4 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 cups)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease & flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.
- Cream sugar and shortening in a medium bowl. This can be done by hand with a potato masher or a fork.
- Add eggs and mix well. Add ripe bananas and stir.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to wet ingredients. Stirring until well incorporated.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 60-75 minutes or until toothpick in center comes out clean. Check after first 30 minutes to make sure top is not getting overly brown. If so, tent with aluminum foil until done.
- Remove from oven and let cool in pan on wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Remove loaf from pan. Place on wire rack and let cool completely.
Honey Butter: Beat together 1/2 cup butter & 1/4 cup honey. To make Honey Cinnamon Butter add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon & 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract to the mix. Serve at room temperature.
Baking Tips for a Moist Banana Bread
You may think more bananas are better but this can make the bread much too dense.
Batter will be thick. Do not add any additional liquids.
Do not overbeat the batter as this will cause the bread to rise then fall after baking. Stir til just mixed.
When baking, check at the 45 minute mark and again at 1 hour to make sure bread doesn’t overbake. Overbaking will cause the bread to dry out.
This post has been updated with better step-by-step directions and baking tips. It was first published on November 18, 2016.
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