With its super-moist texture, buttery banana and brown sugar flavors, and incredibly soft crumb, this is the best ever banana bread recipe. You’ll need 4 ripe bananas to begin.
This is my favorite banana bread recipe, one that I’ve cherished for years. It’s the recipe that comes to mind first when I have leftover spotty bananas on the counter and the bread that’s on constant rotation in my freezer stash. This is the best ever banana bread recipe and if you haven’t tried it yet, now’s the time.
“Best-ever” is quite a bold statement, right? I’ve tried many many many basic banana bread recipes and I can happily admit that this one is my very favorite. Readers have fallen in love too! What makes this one so good? This banana bread has the most bananas out of any banana bread I’ve ever made before! 2 whole cups of mashed banana, which is about 4 large bananas. More banana adds more moisture and flavor to the finished product.
How to Mash Bananas
Did you know you can use your electric mixer to mash bananas? Break or slice the spotty bananas into large pieces and place in the bowl of your stand mixer– or use a regular mixing bowl and your hand mixer. Begin beating on low, then gradually increase to medium-high speed as the bananas break down into mashed banana. You can use this bowl for the rest of the banana bread ingredients.
Other Banana Bread Ingredients
- Butter: Use softened butter for a soft texture and irresistible butter flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Use all brown sugar in this recipe. I’ve explained before that brown sugar is the culprit behind soft and moist cookies. Well, brown sugar works that same magic in banana bread, too. There is no regular granulated sugar in this banana bread recipe; the sweetness comes from brown sugar and bananas. (And cream cheese frosting if you wish to add it!)
- Eggs: Eggs supply cakes, cupcakes, breads, doughs, and cookies their stability and structure, as well as a tender texture. You’ll need 2 large eggs in this banana bread recipe.
- Yogurt: Yogurt adds even more moisture to this banana bread. I like to use yogurt as much as possible when I’m baking. Sour cream is a wonderful substitution for plain yogurt. You can use the two interchangeably in most baking recipes.
For banana nut bread, add 3/4 cup of chopped nuts to the banana bread batter; I like using either pecans or walnuts. I absolutely adore their sweet, toasty, and slight crunch nestled inside the soft banana bread crumbs. Feel free to leave them out completely if you’re not a fan of banana nut bread!
How to Freeze Banana Bread
I’ve received a lot of questions about freezing banana bread since I published the recipe, so let me share what works. You can freeze banana bread using these instructions to preserve its fresh flavor and texture for months!
- Cool baked banana bread completely.
- Tightly wrap the loaf or slices (individually or grouped) in 2-3 layers of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- Place wrapped banana bread in a large freezer-friendly storage bag or reusable container.
- Date the bag and freeze for up to 3-4 months. Thaw wrapped or unwrapped in the refrigerator or at room temperature. All methods work like a charm!
I like to freeze banana bread in slices because the slices thaw much quicker– even by lunchtime!
Overall, this is a SUPER easy recipe for classic banana bread. The batter takes about 10 minutes to throw together, the bread stays moist for days, and nothing beats the smell of fresh banana bread in the oven! If you’ve tried the recipe int he past 5 years, let me know!
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