Description
This classic Banana Bread recipe yields a moist, flavorful loaf with tender crumb and delightful chunks of ripe banana in every bite. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, it combines the sweetness of brown sugar with hints of cinnamon and vanilla for a comforting homemade treat.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (210g)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar (165g)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups mashed ripe bananas (430g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon until evenly combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the brown sugar and softened butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions to ensure even mixing. Then stir in the vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Incorporate Bananas: Mix the mashed ripe bananas into the wet mixture, leaving some chunks intact for texture and flavor.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix to keep the bread tender.
- Pour Batter and Bake: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before removing it. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Measure flour accurately using a kitchen scale to avoid dry and crumbly banana bread. If without a scale, fluff then spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
- Softened butter works best for creaming, set it out an hour before baking. If forgotten, soften quickly using room temperature techniques.
- Use room-temperature eggs to help the ingredients bind better and ensure even texture.
- Mash bananas with a fork or potato masher but leave some chunks for delightful texture in the final bread.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/10th loaf)
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
