Classic Moist Banana Bread
Fail-safe, moisture-rich loaf that turns overripe bananas into a timeless comfort bake.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas mashed (the more speckled, the better)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg beaten, room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour sifted
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 °F / 175 °C. Grease or line a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
- In a mixing bowl, mash bananas until mostly smooth; stir in melted butter.
- Whisk in sugar, egg and vanilla until the batter is fragrant and cohesive.
- Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture; fold gently to combine.
- Add flour and mix just until no dry streaks remain—small lumps are fine.
- Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and level the top.
- Bake 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted slightly off-centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nearly black bananas deliver maximum sweetness and a tender crumb. Bring the egg to room temperature for smoother emulsification. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly; flavor improves after 24 hours. Slice and freeze for up to 3 months for grab-and-go breakfasts. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and rest batter 10 minutes for a celiac-friendly variant. Doubling the recipe? Use two pans rather than one larger pan to maintain even heat penetration.
