Banana bread is such a classic and delicious dessert! And we have the PERFECT recipe for you! This recipe will give you yummy, mouth-watering banana bread in under one hour!
Banana breads are so common but finding the right recipe on the internet is such a pain! But don't worry, we have the PERFECT recipe for you!!
"This recipe makes the perfect banana bread every time I try it!"
It's super simple, and the steps are clearly stated so you're not confused at all! Plus, we have special chef tips for you to make sure you make the recipe with as much ease as possible!! ?
Hi guys! We have a classic recipe for you guys today! When I was a kid and living in Kuala Lumpur back in the 90's, there used to be this particular bakery that sold the most delicious banana bread ever! I still remember my dad going there on the weekend early in the morning and getting a couple of freshly baked banana bread loaves for us. They smelled divine and the taste was incredible!!
Ever since then, I've always been trying to make the perfect recipe and replicate the flavors as much as possible. And if I might say - this tastes EVEN BETTER!! Trust me, whoever tries this when you make it, will fall in love with the banana bread (and YOU!!).
Follow this recipe to the T and you should have the perfect banana bread ready to eat in under one hour!
Here are a few chef tips for you from us to make sure you have the smoothest time making the banana bread today!
Chef Tips ?
- This recipe calls for baking soda as well as baking powder. Don't confuse the two - they're a bit different. Baking soda is usually used in recipes which call for a fruit or vinegar.
- You can slightly increase the amount of sugar that I have written from ½ cup to ¾ cup (or even 1 cup if you really want a sweeter bread) in case your bananas are not very ripe.
- If you don't have ripe bananas and want to ripen them as soon as possible, heat your oven at 240˚F and put the bananas in the oven on a tray for 15-20 minutes. The catch? They'll look a bit unappetizing because the peels will turn black but the bananas will be just perfect for this recipe!
- If you have a few days till you're about to make this recipe, then put your bananas on top of the fridge and leave them for 3 days - trust me it works perfectly!
EDIT: Our beautiful reader Sue asked this question and we just had to include it here. She wanted to know if you can substitute brown sugar with white sugar. Well, you absolutely can! The only thing you need to know is that brown sugar is naturally more moist than white sugar and hence by adding brown sugar, your banana bread will be more moist and hence softer. You can add about one tablespoon of fresh plain yogurt to the mix with white sugar in case you use that instead of brown sugar!
P.s. It's a myth that white sugar is sweeter than brown sugar!
So let's go to today's delicious recipe!
📖 Recipe
The Perfect Banana Bread
Banana bread is such a classic and delicious dessert! And we have the PERFECT recipe for you! This recipe will give you yummy, mouth-watering banana bread in under one hour!
Ingredients
- 3 - 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- a pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F or 180˚C.
- Sift flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda together.
- Mix brown sugar and butter together and beat together using a hand blender or stand-alone blender till the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Add in the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Blend together on a low setting till it's completely mixed in the batter.
- Add mashed banana and flour to the above mixture and beat for 30 seconds (don't over-beat or the bananas will start to oxidize a lot).
- Pour this mixture into a buttered 4 by 8 inch loaf baking pan and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the skewer comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the bread.
- Let it cool on a rack before removing the banana bread from the pan.
Notes
1. This recipe calls for baking soda as well as baking powder. Don't confuse the two - they're a bit different. Baking soda is usually used in recipes which call for a fruit or vinegar.
2. You can slightly increase the amount of sugar that I have written from ½ cup to ¾ cup (or even 1 cup if you really want a sweeter bread) in case your bananas are not very ripe.
3. If you don't have ripe bananas and want to ripen then as soon as possible, heat your oven at 240˚F and put the bananas in the oven on a tray for 15-20 minutes. The catch? They'll look a bit unappetizing because the peels will turn black but the bananas will be just perfect for this recipe!
4. If you have a few days till you're about to make this recipe, then put your bananas on top of the fridge and leave them for 3 days - trust me it works perfectly!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 345Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 291mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 3gSugar: 25gProtein: 5g
If you loved this delicious Banana Bread recipe, then you'll definitely love our Cinnamon Roll French Toast Roll Ups recipe! It's extremely easy to make and tastes exactly like cinnamon rolls - but minus all the hassle. Plus you don't even need an oven for it!
Sue
Would it be possible to use white sugar as I don't have brown. Very keen to bake this bread. Thanks
Aena
Hi Sue!! So happy you want to bake this one. Yes you can definitely use white sugar instead of brown sugar - only difference is that brown sugar is naturally more moist - so it'll end up making your bread more moist and hence softer.
That being said - I have used white sugar A LOT OF TIMES in this recipe instead of brown! So go right ahead and use it 🙂 Happy to help with any other questions you might have 🙂
- Aena x.
P.s. You can also add about one tbsp of yogurt to the mixture to make it softer if you feel the substitution will make it not as soft 🙂 Also, don't worry, it's a myth that white sugar is sweeter than brown sugar.
sue
Thank you so much for the super fast response. I have asked my husband to bring home brown sugar as a moist loaf will be much nicer I'm sure. I have waited days for my bananas to be ready and your recipe appeals to me so much more than others, not to mention the pictures are fab. I will let you know how it turns out!
Aena
You're most welcome Sue! Thank you to you for this super sweet comment, actually - it made our day! Just what we needed 🙂
Haha, I know exactly what you mean - but that's why I actually figured out a way to make the bananas ripe real fast for the recipe! I've detailed it in the Chef Tips section (check out tip number 3 :D).
That's so super nice of you - thank you! Arvin and I are actually culinary school grads - we're certified chefs! So rest assured all our recipes are pretty accurate and you'll get great results from them! We try to add in tips too that we learned in culinary school so the readers can make it perfectly 🙂
Would love to know how it turns out!! Again, thank you! Happy baking!! 😀
sue
You are most welcome but it should be me thanking you guys. I read your entire write up which is what grabbed my attention. Us mum's like to think we can cook you see, however who are we to medal with true chefs. I know it must be a grueling task to become a fully fledged chef, and then to share that experience by way of stunning recipes with others is awesome. My next task is to find an excellent somosa filling, however I have never really experimented with spices myself and tend to hit the curry powder section lol. Wish me luck x
Aena
Aw! Actually Arvin and I believe that ANYONE can be a chef without formal culinary education! And that's exactly why we're changing up our blog in the next two-three weeks and including a section where we teach everyone how they can create their own recipes from scratch - the easy way! Trust me, it's all about understand just a few little things and then you can be off on your own. For e.g. anyone can make a cake - you just need to know how much of fat, dry ingredients and liquid to add total. You can then make any combination of these and it'll be the perfect cake each time! But someone no one wants to reveal these tips!
SAMOSA!! ? I unfortunately don't have any recipe up but if you want, I can write one down here for you or email it to you - if you haven't found a delicious one already! We both have a bit of Indian blood and these spices are right up my alley! Short form: add red chili powder, a bit of turmeric, garam masala and cumin - that's the basic Indian spices! But I can totally send over the exact amounts to you.
Good luck!! And happy cooking 😀
sue
Omg I will watch this space. I have been guilty of following my mum's recipes for many years. Since having three children, the oldest being 18 and the youngest being 3 I have created my own cook books for each of them lol. Every Child claims to love mum's stew and mum's pastry etc so now they must live with it lol. However I have tried to be more adventurous over the last 2 years since moving from the UK to South Africa. It has not proved easy as literally everything is different. I mean baking soda is bicarb.... hello I use that to clean my kettle lol. I would be so grateful if you could share your somosa recipe with me....really and truely as my husband is buying this stuff at the petrol station I kid you not. What does that say for me! I knew you had to have a beautiful culture inside of you as the images of both of you are too stunning. My email is (_____)@gmail.com. xx
sue
Hi guys, sorry to bother you again. Making the bread as we speak but when do I add the egg and essence xx
Aena
Hi Sue!! I was just writing the email to you with the Samosa recipes!
I can't believe I missed that step out of the recipe - you add it after step 3 but before step 4 (i.e. before adding in the mashed bananas). Add in the egg and essence and blend it a bit so it mixes completely. Then proceed with step 4. I'll edit and add this step into the recipe too!
Happy Baking! Do let us know how it turns out 😀
sue
OK that's great thankyou. It's in the oven as we speak. Fingers crossed it will be fab. The bowl tasted devine lol. Thank you soooo much for going g yo the effort of samosa filling. I appreciate it so much. All my loaf tins are in use today as have made fresh bread....no knead of course as it's easy. A curried meatloaf and now a banana loaf. The in-laws will be delighted xx
Aena
YAY!! Before taking the bread out of the oven, do put a skewer (or small knife) through the middle and check if it comes out clean. It should be baked all the way through in the amount of time I've specified but you see not all ovens are alike. E.g. some ovens that we usually have at home don't heat up to the exact temperature we set, and others don't conduct heat inside efficiently. So yes, do check! 😀
Not a problem AT ALL! I enjoyed writing those recipes down for you! (I've sent three different samosa filling options too!). Hope you have a great time making the samosas!! I've sent them just a few minutes ago on your email address!
Omg - freshly made bread is my weakness. Just the smell of it alone can send me to bread heaven! Oh and WOW. That's a proper feast! Your in-laws are super lucky to have you as family!! ? Have a beautiful dinner with them and the family tonight!! x.
Aena
Haha I just had to reply to this comment! I loved the way you explained that hahaha! I TOTALLY understand what you mean - I recently moved to KL, Malaysia from Dubai and it's all so confusing here too at times! I mean one of the toughest ingredients to find fresh here is coriander ? I mean I NEED THAT. And the bicarb issue exists here too hahaha!
Anyway, I'm absolutely sure you'll love the samosa recipes I've sent (and so will your husband!). You can be creative and add any other vegetables that your husband might be fond of - e.g. some people add peas to the minced meat one! But you have all the basics and I'd really encourage you to add in whatever else you like and make the recipe YOUR OWN!!
Email me at any time or comment on the blog and I'll get back to you within a few minutes (unless I'm asleep haha - it's GMT+8 here) - emails are easier to reply back to for emergencies by the way 🙂
I've removed your email address from the comment here but saved it! I didn't want anyone reading the comment here and sending you spam mails 🙂
Happy Cooking!!! <3
- Aena
Leigha
I was told adding apples will add moisture aswell
Marycke
Hi there, just would like to find out how many calories one loaf contains?
Noora
I made it today , it’s really sweet and delicious ! Thank you for sharing ?
Elizabeth
You can make brown sugar from white by addind molasses. 1 tbsp molasses to 1 cup sugar.
Clasina
Hello,
I am planning to make your banana bread. I am wondring if the brown sugar should be packed in the measuring cup?
Aena
Hi Clasina!!
You don't exactly need to pack it in too much - as in don't push down the brown sugar in the measuring cup till it's totally packed. The easiest trick to get the brown sugar measured properly in the cups is to fill it up to the brim and then tap it on a surface. The sugar will settle in together and then you can add more and repeat it it's up to the brim. No need to press the sugar down manually 🙂
I hope that made sense! In case you're confused let me know and I can maybe send you a mini video or something to explain it better!
Can't wait for you to try it out! <3
- Aena
Pat
I made this tonight and it is truly my favorite by far ! The only thing I did different is to put some chopped pecans in it. I will definitely be making this again as it was so easy!
Aena
Hi Pat!
YAY! So glad you enjoyed the recipe - I usually always make it on Sundays and finish it the same day (HAH!). Do let me know if you have any specific requests for our next recipe!!
Have a lovely week!
Diana McClain
I have no shortening or spray to coat the pan, can I line it with parchment paper.
Aena
Hi Diana! Do you have a little bit of cooking oil or olive oil? You can use very little bit of it (literally like half a teaspoon) and just spread it around the pan, then line with parchment paper. That's all you need! The oil helps to not let the parchment paper move around when you're pouring the batter into the pan. BUT if you're confident with your baking skills, you can also just go for parchment paper without the oil 🙂
I was taught in culinary school to use a bit of oil too though but I've done it both ways and it works! Happy baking, hope you love the banana bread when it's done! <3
Nellie
I am making your banana bread tonight! I am looking forward to trying this recipe, but I'm adding chocolate chips, because honestly, who doesn't love chocolate and bananas!! Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that I enjoyed reading the comments! I like to search out the comments so that I can see how other people liked a recipe, and I have to say, I very much enjoyed the comments!! Thanks for being so personable! It makes a huge difference for me!
Aena
Hi Nellie!! Guess what? It's a Sunday here and I'm baking this same banana bread too 😀 It's almost like a ritual haha - I always do this on Sundays. You're right chocolate and bananas go so super well together - one of my favorite combos! I've added so many different things to this recipe and tried it in different ways - it always turns out delicious! Really hoping you'll love the recipe too 😀 I just wanted to put out the basic recipe for everyone so they could make it their own by adding different ingredients on top like chocolate chips, pecans, walnuts etc. So yay! Go ahead with your creativity and make this YOUR OWN recipe!!
Oh by the way, in case you run into any issues while baking, please do comment here or email me at aena@scrambledchefs.com and I'll reply back asap (unless it's the middle of the night for me in which case I'll reply back as soon as I'm up!).
Aw, thank you so so much! That's honestly the thing we're both aiming for here - to meet new people via the comments and emails, and spread our love for food. Please do let me know if you need any other recipe - chances are I have it. Arvin and I are culinary school graduates and we both have a diverse ethnic background too. We absolutely love trying out different cuisines and learning how to make it and then sharing it with others. 🙂
It's comments like yours that make blogging worthwhile - so thank you. Have a beautiful day Nellie! Happy baking 😀
Judith
If I wanted to make this as muffins instead, I'm guessing I'd need to adjust the cooking time?
Aena
Hi Judith!!
Yes - the standard rule I was taught in culinary school is to cut down the baking time to 1/3 or 1/2 of the cake recipe for conversion. So bake it for about 15-20 minutes and test it out by using a wooden toothpick. Insert it into the center of the muffin - if it comes out clean, they're done. Otherwise if it comes out with moist crumbs, bake them for a few more minutes 🙂
Let me know if you have any other questions - you can comment here or send me a direct email at aena@scrambledchefs.com! I've had a friend bake these into muffins in the same way and it turned out great for her!
Happy baking!!