Easy banana bread recipe (one bowl, no mixer)
Quick answer: mash 3 very ripe bananas, stir in 1/3 cup melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla, then add 1 teaspoon baking soda, a pinch of salt and 1 1/2 cups flour. Pour into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
Ingredients (1 loaf, 10 slices)
| Ingredient | US | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| Very ripe bananas | 3 medium (about 1 1/2 cups mashed) | about 340 g peeled |
| Butter, melted | 1/3 cup | 75 g |
| Sugar (white or brown) | 3/4 cup | 150 g |
| Egg, large | 1 | 1 |
| Vanilla extract | 1 tsp | 5 ml |
| Baking soda | 1 tsp | 5 g |
| Salt | 1/4 tsp | pinch |
| All-purpose flour | 1 1/2 cups | 190 g |
| Optional: walnuts or chocolate chips | 1/2 cup | 60-85 g |
Need to convert? See our cups to grams guide and how to measure flour correctly. Too much flour is the most common reason banana bread turns out dry.
Method
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan, or line it with baking paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Stir in the melted butter, then the sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and stir in.
- Add the flour and fold gently until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix, or the loaf will be tough. Fold in nuts or chocolate if using.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes. Cover loosely with foil after 40 minutes if the top browns too fast.
- Test: a toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The center should read about 200°F (93°C) on a thermometer.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then on a rack before slicing.
Tips for the best banana bread
- Use very ripe bananas, with lots of brown spots. They are sweeter and mash easily. To ripen fast, bake unpeeled bananas at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes until black.
- Baking soda, not powder. Baking soda reacts with the acidity in bananas and brown sugar. See baking soda vs baking powder.
- Weigh your flour for consistent results.
Easy swaps
| Swap | How |
|---|---|
| Less sugar | Use 1/2 cup. Ripe bananas keep it sweet. |
| Oil instead of butter | Same amount of neutral oil |
| Whole wheat | Replace up to half the flour |
| Muffins | Bake in a 12-cup tin for 20-25 minutes |
| Egg-free | 1 tbsp ground flax mixed with 3 tbsp water |
Oven temperature
350°F is 175 to 180°C, or gas mark 4. For a fan oven, use about 160°C. See oven temperature conversions.
Storage
Wrap cooled banana bread and keep it at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze slices for up to 3 months and toast them from frozen.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle? It was usually underbaked, or the pan was too small. Check the center temperature next time.
How many bananas for banana bread? Three medium bananas, or about 1 1/2 cups mashed.
How many calories in a slice? About 200 to 230 calories per slice when cut into 10, before nuts or chocolate.