Banana bread is a classic comfort food. A thick slice of warm banana bread can light up anyone’s day. Whether it is served as breakfast, snack, or dessert, banana bread is a crowd-pleaser. So next time you have some overripe bananas on hand, try whipping up a batch of this classic treat.
Making banana bread is a very simple process. With just a handful of pantry staples, pretty straightforward instructions, and little effort you can create a delicious and decadent treat. The only catch is that you have to be very patient while the bread is baking and cooling down because the emanating aromas are sure to test your self-restraint.
But one of the main reasons why I love banana bread because of its sheer versatility. It is easy to customize this recipe to your taste and preferences. Whether you want to trade cinnamon for nutmeg, clove or ginger, etc, or replace chocolates with nuts or dried fruits the options are endless.
You can make a vegetarian option without eggs, a gluten-free version with trading flour, or a vegan one with oil instead of butter, the possibilities are endless yet you will always end up with a perfect, distinct, and delicious loaf.
Ingredients used and their substitutes
- Banana- The star of the show. Ripe bananas are perfect for banana bread. Ripe bananas have more flavour. They help in creating light and fluffy bread. So the riper the better. Naturally ripened bananas have more flavour and sweetness but if you can’t wait for the natural process like me choose any one of the following processes to quickly ripen the bananas.
Paper Bag Method-
Put the bananas into a brown paper bag and leave them overnight in a warm place.
Baking Method-
Place the bananas in a tray lined with parchment/butter paper. Bake them at 200℃/390℉ for 10-15 minutes or until they look shiny and black. I’ve used this method.
- All-purpose Flour/Maida-Gives structure to our bread. You can replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, almond flour, oats or coconut flour. You can change the type of flour according to your preferences.
- Sugar- In this recipe, I’ve used both brown sugar and white sugar in equal quantities. Brown sugar helps enhance the flavours. But you can skip brown sugar.
- Eggs- Act as a binding agent.
- Butter (melted)-Butter provides flavour, richness, and moisture. I’ve used melted butter to make bread more dense and stable but you can work with butter at room temperature. Or you can use vegetable oil instead.
- Baking soda- It is a leavener which helps banana bread to rise. If you don’t have baking soda add double the amount of baking powder.
- Salt- enhances the flavours and balances the sweetness.
- Milk- helps in adding extra moisture. You can use any type of milk soya, almond etc or completely skip it.
- Vanilla – flavour and taste enhancer.
- Cinnamon (optional)-Enhances the flavour and taste. You can replace it with nutmeg, cardamom, clove etc or can completely skip it.
- Chocolate(optional)-I find the chocolate banana flavour to be amazing but if you are not a fan replace it with nuts, dry fruits etc or completely skip it.
How to make banana bread?
Ripe bananas:- Mash ripe bananas together with a fork. No need for a smooth puree. A few chunks elevate the taste of banana bread.
Dry ingredients:- Mix all dry ingredients.
Wet ingredients:- Mix butter and both sugars on med speed for 1-2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until incorporated. Add mashed banana as well.
Combine:- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Add chopped chocolate and milk. Combine till ingredients are incorporated and flour is just invisible.
Bake:- Pour the batter into a 9x4x3.5 inch loaf pan greased and lined with butter paper. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/356°F for 45-50 minutes.
How to store banana bread?
After baking let the banana bread cool down in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes then transfer the bread onto a wire rack to cool down completely.
- Store the banana bread in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and up to 1 week in the refrigerator.
- Put the banana bread in a zip-lock and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Tips to ensure you end up with perfect banana bread
Properly measure the flour otherwise you’ll end up with dry bread. Either employ a scale or use spoons to fill your measuring cup with flour.
Overmixing the batter may cause your bread to end up tough and dry.
Not proper mixing of dry ingredients-Either mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl or use a sieve while adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients. This is done to ensure that all dry ingredients get mixed properly.
Easy banana bread
Ingredients
- 280 g Flour 2¼ cups
- 113 g Butter(melted) ½ cup (unsalted)
- 100 g Brown Sugar ½ cup
- 100 g White Sugar (granulated) ½ cup
- 2 med size eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 med size Banana 2 cups puree
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 60 ml Milk ¼ cup
- 1¼ tbsp Cinnamon powder
- 60 g Dark chocolate (chopped) ¼ cup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/356°F.
- Brush a loaf pan(9×4×3.5 inch) with butter/oil. Line the loaf pan with butter/parchment paper.
- In a small bowl sieve all dry ingredients together.
- In a different bowl cream both sugars and butter together. Beat on medium for 1-2 minutes or till the mix becomes light and fluffy.
- Into the mix add eggs and vanilla. Beat on med speed till eggs are incorporated.
- In a different bowl mash ripe bananas. No need to get a perfect puree.
- Mix banana puree into the sugar-butter mix.
- Add ¾ part of the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula just until the four disappear
- Add milk and mix well. Add the rest of the dry ingredients and chopped chocolate. Mix well.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- If you want, sprinkle some chocolate chips.
- Bake at 180°C/356°F for 45-50 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick in the center. If the toothpick comes out clean banana bread is ready.
- Let the banana bread cool down in the loaf pan for 10 minutes then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.