This Banana Bread Recipe uses brown sugar and lots of bananas for the BEST flavor. Plus, it takes only 15 minutes to make by hand–no mixer required! Recipe includes a how-to video!
This is it: the BEST banana bread recipe. After over half a dozen recipe tests, I finally landed on a winner. This recipe makes a moist, super flavorful (thanks to our key players: bananas, buttermilk, brown sugar, and vanilla), and easily customizable banana bread, a near cousin to my popular carrot cake recipe.
Want to add nuts? Go for it! Like chocolate chip banana bread? Throw them in too. Or, go a little crazy and add both–this recipe can handle it!
My banana bread recipe is closely based off of my popular banana muffins. That recipe has received nothing but rave reviews, and it took just a few modifications to make it perfect for baking in a bread pan. Serve yours warm with a little bit of honey butter (people do eat banana bread with butter, right?), and you’ve got yourself a slice of pure perfection.
Try it, and you can thank me later!
What You Need
My banana bread recipe is simple and uses basic ingredients:
- Bananas. The browner, spottier, and riper the better and more flavorful your finished bread will be.
- Oil & butter. As with my vanilla cake recipe, I’ve found a blend of oil and butter gives this cake the best texture and flavor. Make sure to melt your butter before using.
- Sugar. I use a blend of brown sugar and granulated for the most flavor. Dark or light brown sugar will work here; dark will give you a richer flavor, slightly more moist texture, and will make the cake darker.
- Eggs. Large, extra large, or jumbo will work here.
- Vanilla extract and salt. For flavor!
- Buttermilk. This adds moisture and flavor to the cake. Real, full-fat buttermilk is best, but if you don’t have any on hand, you can always make my buttermilk substitute instead. To do this, combine ¾ teaspoon of lemon juice (or white vinegar) with ¼ scant cup milk, stir, and let sit for 5 minutes before using.
- Baking powder & baking soda. To give the bread a bit of lift.
SAM’S TIP: Sprinkle a little bit of extra granulated sugar over the batter just before baking for added flavor and texture.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make The Best Banana Bread Recipe
- Mash your bananas. The riper the better!
- Stir together bananas, oil, and butter, then mix in sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract.
- Whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt) separately.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients gently.
- Pour into a greased bread pan and sprinkle generously with sugar (optional, but not really).
- When your banana bread is a beautiful golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s finished baking!
SAM’S TIP: Don’t over-mix your batter! Gently fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just combined; it’s okay if you see some faint flour streaks when you’re done.
Frequently Asked Questions
VERY ripe bananas are ideal. We’re talking dark brown, spotty, and mushy–pretty much the opposite of what you’d like to eat! Super ripe bananas have the most flavor and will subsequently make your bread super flavorful too.
Absolutely! Stir in 1¼ cup coarsely chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts are great choices), chocolate chips, or even raisins at the end. Just remember to not over-mix!
Store at room temperature in an airtight container (or wrapped with plastic wrap) for up to three days. It can also be tightly wrapped and frozen for several months!
First make sure you do not over-bake the bread, as this is the quickest way to make it dry. Once it’s cooked and cooled, store your banana bread tightly wrapped at room temperature and enjoy within 3 days for best results. Do NOT refrigerate–this will dry out the bread!
SAM’S TIP: If using nuts, try toasting them first for added flavor! To do this, simply spread the nuts on a baking sheet in an even layer and bake on 350F for 5-10 minutes, turning halfway through.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook.
The BEST Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (385 g) well-mashed overripe bananas this is usually 3 large ripe bananas for me (355ml)
- ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter melted
- ⅔ cup (135 g) light or dark brown sugar firmly packed
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten, room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk¹
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose plain flour
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cups chocolate chips or chopped nuts² optional
- ¼ cup (50 g) coarse or granulated sugar for sprinkling optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and grease the bottom and ½" up the sides of a 9×5" bread pan. Set aside.
- Combine mashed bananas, canola oil, and melted butter in a large bowl and stir until well-combined.1 ½ cups (385 g) well-mashed overripe bananas, ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil, ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
- Add sugars and stir well.⅔ cup (135 g) light or dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- Stir in eggs and vanilla extract.2 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add buttermilk and stir until thoroughly combined.¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk¹
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose, ¾ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add dry ingredients to wet and carefully, gently using a spatula (not an electric mixer) fold ingredients together until just combined. Don’t overmix the batter or your banana cake could end up dense/dry. If adding nuts/chocolate chips, stir them in here.1 ¼ cups chocolate chips or chopped nuts²
- Pour batter into prepared pan and, if desired, sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.¼ cup (50 g) coarse or granulated sugar for sprinkling
- Transfer to 350F (175C) oven and bake 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted all the way into the center of the cake comes out clean or preferably with a few moist crumbs. Do not over-bake your banana bread or it will be dry.
Notes
¹Buttermilk
If you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge, you can use my easy buttermilk substitute instead.²Adding nuts
If you have nuts that aren’t already chopped, I recommend toasting them first for an even better flavor. To toast, layer 1 ½ cup of walnut or pecan halves over a baking sheet and bake on 350F for about 8 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool then use a large knife to coarsely chop. I don’t recommend toasting pre-chopped nuts just because they don’t always cook evenly and could end up burned.Storing
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This recipe also freezes well, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and it will keep for several months!Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
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This recipe was originally published March 18th 2019.
Kristin
I’m looking at the nutrition information on this and I see that you have the serving listed as “one slice.” In order for this to be useful, I need to know how many slices in a loaf. Sorry if I missed this and if that info is elsewhere.
Thanks!
Kristin
It is also showing 46g of saturated fat, which I know can’t be right . . . can you let us know the saturated fat content as well? Grazie.
Sam
Hi Kristin! There are about 10 slices per loaf. Unfortunately I don’t have the full nutritional information. I typically plug all of the ingredients into a free nutrition calculator like My Fitness Pal. 🙂
Paula Hower
LOVE IT! LOVE IT!! LOVE IT!!!
Your recipes are awesome!!! Thank you, Sam!!!
Sam
Yay! Thank you so much for letting me know how it turned out for you, Paula! I really appreciate it! 🙂
Laura Wright
If doubling the recipe, will it work to double everything exactly, or do you suggest slight modifications?
Sam
Hi Laura! I would double all of the ingredients. 🙂
Andres
I made the bread and put half the batter and spread(more like swirled!) a 1/3 cup Nutella, but the other half of the batter, and marbled another 1/3 cup of Nutella. Once the bread was warm enough to handle after baking, I wrapped it and froze it to lock in all that precious steam, ate a week later was soooo moist.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much! Thank you for your feedback when freezing. 🙂
Ann Elliot
The recipe title doesn’t lie or exaggerate – this really is the best. I’ve made your Banana Muffins with the delicious streusel topping and loved them. Tried to use that recipe for a bread/cake and, don’t get me wrong, it was wonderful, but this works so much better for a loaf pan. I added Craisins instead of nuts (personal preference) and sprinkled a little cinnamon sugar on top before baking. Seems I always have overripe bananas. Now I’m done searching for the right recipe to use them. Divine. Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Ann! I love the cinnamon sugar addition! I also always have over-ripe bananas. They are going bad before I can even eat them all!
JRH
The brown sugar + buttermilk combo make this taste just like my grandma’s recipe, which I’ve been trying to recreate for years. Yum. And it’s even better leftover, maybe, toasted with a little salted butter on top.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
laila
I make this almost weekly for my kids to take to school as a sweet snack. It is a very forgiving recipe – I rarely measure exactly, as I have made this so many times now. Two adjustments, I have made is to reduce the sugar – I found the bread plenty sweet, and I go with just 1/4 cup sugar. I also add some grated lemon rind, and a tbsp lemon juice for some ‘freshness’. My kids LOVE this treat for school.
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoys it so much! 🙂
Cindy
Do you have to use full fat buttermilk or can you use low fat 1% buttermilk?
Sam
Hi Cindy! The lower fat buttermilk will work here. 🙂
Violeta
Seriously fantastic. I am watching carbs so I limited myself in what I ate, gave some away, but I could have easily eaten the whole pan. I didn’t have buttermilk so I used a water and sour cream mix instead. And a glass pan 9x9x2. You are my go to for baking!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Violeta! 🙂
Patti
Best banana bread we have ever had, and I have tried lots of recipes! Wouldn’t change anything in the recipe. Have tried lots of your other recipes and they always turn out terrific as well.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Patti! 🙂
Lynette
Is that really a full TABLESPOON of vanilla extract? I keep reading it and thinking I must be reading it wrong. It seems like most recipes call for a TEASPOON of vanilla extract. I don’t like want to alter your recipe without trying it as written, but I also don’t want to OD on vanilla!
Sam
Hi Lynette! It is a whole tablespoon. It’s a good bit of bread to be dispersed throughout. I hope you love it! 🙂
Lynette
I just made this again (double batch this time), and came back here to tell you that this banana bread recipe is perfection! I add chopped toasted pecans, and this is seriously the BEST banana bread recipe of all time. I thank you, my husband thanks you, my two teenage boys thank you…. now I need to check out your other recipes!
Sam
This made my day! I’m so happy to hear it was such a hit with you and your family, Lynette! I hope you enjoy the other recipes just as much! <3
Tequila
I agree with what Margie said above. Your recipes are fantastic! I haven’t made this banana bread but will today. I already know it’s going to be good! 😁
Sam
Thank you so much! 🙂
Xavier D Baker
Hello I have a question I have a oven toaster that only goes to 230c and 60 minute timer. what setting should I use and for about how long should I bake my bread without burning it?
Sam
Hi Xavier! You only need the oven to be at 175C and it should bake for 60 minutes so I think you should be good to go. 🙂
Xavier D Baker
Okay thank you so much I appreciate it I will try this and see if its comes out accordingly
Kim
I made this with my son as sous-chef :))) and it turned out fantastic!! Our whole family loved it!!! Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Kim! 🙂
Margie
Hi Sam,
This banana bread was AMAZING!!!!!! I’ve tried so many of your recipes and have yet to find one that wasn’t delicious. Thank you for helping to make me a great baker.
I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year!! Many blessings to you and yours!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Margie! 🙂