Easy Moist Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

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This is the perfect easy banana bread recipe. I have tried several different banana bread recipes, and I have found this to be the perfect moist banana bread recipe.

If you love our Cinnamon Swirl bread recipe, banana bread with applesauce and our Applesauce Bread, I think you are going to love this easy recipe.

Easy Banana Bread Recipe

It is easy and pretty much fail proof. I am not much of a baker (by any means), so for me to say this is fail proof says something.

By the way – if you want a healthier version try our healthy banana bread recipe for new twist on the traditional banana bread. And if you like pumpkin, our recipe for Pumpkin Banana Bread is so delicious.

Now if you are a chocolate lover like me, you have to try this Simple Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. It is amazing with all the chocolate chips.

Delicious but Simple Banana Bread.

This recipe has the perfect amount of banana flavor. It’s great for snacks, breakfast and more. Everyone will love this easy recipe!

How to mash bananas

Did you know you can use your electric hand mixer to mash up the bananas. Yes, you can use a spoon, but the electric mixer is a faster method. It will also allow you to have a smoother and more moist bread.

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Ingredients You Need:

  • Ripe bananas (ripe – if you have them in the freezer, just allow to thaw)
  • Melted Butter
  • Egg
  • ¾ cup Sugar
  • Vanilla
  • Baking Soda
  • Salt
  • Flour

How to make banana bread:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 5×9 loaf pan with cooking spray.

Peel the bananas. (these can be from the freezer, just thaw first) Mash the bananas with a hand mixer or a spoon.

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Stir in melted butter, eggs and vanilla extract,sugar, and salt. Stir sugar egg mixture well.

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Add all purpose flour, baking soda and stir dry ingredients well in large bowl.Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake.

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Cook for 60 minutes. Use a toothpick inserted after 50 minutes into the center to make sure it comes out clean.

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Let cool on a wire rack before removing from pan. Set aside to cool completely.

Substitutions for a Healthy Banana Bread:

  • Replace sugar with honey.
  • Use hole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
  • Reduce the sugar to ½ cup when using very ripe bananas
  • Replace the egg with ¼ cup of applesauce

Variation ideas for homemade banana bread:

  1. CHOCOLATE – Add a handful of chocolate chips when you add in the flour. I would add in ½ cup of chocolate chips to make chocolate chip banana bread.
  2. NUTS – Add a handful of chopped nuts to this Easy Banana Bread batter if you like those. Walnuts are really delicious in banana bread. You can start about a ½ cup of chopped nuts in the batter.
  3. DRIED FRUIT – You can try a variety of dried fruit to your banana bread recipe. Smaller dried fruit like dried cranberries, blueberries, and raisins work best.

    If you want to try larger dried fruit like peaches and pears, you will want to chop them first before mixing into the batter.

  4. SPICES – Warming spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice tend to be very compatible with many sweet quick breads including banana bread.
  5. BROWN SUGAR – You can substitute brown sugar instead of the white sugar. I like to substitute ¼ cup brown sugar for a sweeter quick bread.

Everyone enjoys this Easy Banana Bread Recipe plain but adding in something else just makes it even more special.

What you need:

Now if you are making banana bread, make sure you have a good loaf pan.

If you need a loaf pan, I highly recommend you purchase this one – I would purchase 2. I have 2, but sometimes I wish I had 4. This is a regular sized pan which is what I used.

However, you can turn this recipe and make them into smaller loaves which are super fun for gift ideas.

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Wilton Recipe Right 4 Cavity Mini Loaf PanEasy Moist Banana Bread Recipe (12) is a great pan and you can use this entire recipe to fill up those 4 mini loaf pans.
The Baker’s Secret 8 Petite Loaf PanEasy Moist Banana Bread Recipe (13) is also fun for gift ideas. You can use this recipe to make these 8 petite pans as well

How long do you leave bread in the pan after baking?

Cool in pan about 10 minutes before taking out of the pan. Note this can vary based on different types of pans.

The bread will need to be room temperature. Let the bread cool completely.

How do you keep banana bread moist?

The best way to keep banana bread moist for days is to wrap it tightly. Once your bread is baked and cooled, I recommend wrapping tightly in plastic wrap.

Stored this way on the counter, your bread will stay moist up to 3 days. If you’d like, you can store the bread wrapped in the refrigerator for up to 6 days.

However, this recipe never lasts long in my house. I’m lucky if I can get it to last one day. The entire family fights over the last slice.

Enjoy this Easy Moist Banana Bread recipe.

It’s our absolute favorite recipe! It’s so moist and delicious. Plus, it’s very simple to make.

How to ripen Bananas

If you have bananas that are too green, there are a few things you can do to help them ripen faster. Place them in a brown paper bag and this will help the banana to get ripe.

If you want to speed it up even more, place an apple in the bag with them. This will further speed up the process.

You can also ripen bananas in the oven. Place the bananas, with the peels on, on a lined cookie sheet. Place in a 300 degree preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the peels are completely black.

Once finished, allow them to cool and they are ready to use.

How to freeze bananas

Remember, next time you have bananas that are about to go bad, freeze them so they are ready for some delicious bread.

Place three to four over ripe bananas in a freezer bag and label it “ready for banana bread” so it is easy even easier to thaw and have it ready for bread.

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How to Freeze banana bread

You can wrap it in saran wrap to freeze the entire loaf. You may also place the entire loaf in a freezer bag.

Freezing individual slices is also an option to be able to quickly take out for breakfast or snacks.

Simply place the slices on a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer until frozen. Then place the sliced in a freezer bag until ready to use. Now you can quickly thaw the sliced in the microwave or in the toaster.

Simply thaw on the counter when you are ready to eat. See Can you Freeze Banana Bread for more tips.

Print this Simple Banana Bread Recipe below:

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Review

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Easy Banana Bread

4.97 from 477 votes

You’re going to love this Easy banana bread recipe.It’s such a Moist banana bread recipe. Homemade banana bread is delicious!

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings 10

Cuisine American

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Calories 219

Author Carrie Barnard

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 3 to 4 bananas ripe – if you have them in the freezer, just allow to thaw
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups of flour

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 5×9 loaf pan with cooking spray.

  • Peel the bananas. (these can be from the freezer, just thaw first) Mash the bananas.

  • Stir in melted butter, egg, sugar, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Stir well.

  • Add flour and stir well. Pour into baking pan.

  • Cook for 1 hour. Let cool on a rack before removing from pan.

Optional:

Recipe Video

Nutrition Facts

Serving 6ounces, Calories 219kcal, Carbohydrates 37g, Protein 2g, Fat 6g, Saturated Fat 4g, Cholesterol 32mg, Sodium 228mg, Potassium 152mg, Fiber 1g, Sugar 19g, Vitamin A 235IU, Vitamin C 3.1mg, Calcium 9mg, Iron 1mg

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You are going to love this Award WinningBanana Bread Recipe!

Let us know what you think when you try this Easy Banana Bread Recipe. I’m certain you will absolutely love it!

Easy Bread Recipes:

  • How to make Naan Bread
  • Tasty Zucchini Bread
  • Snickerdoodle Bread
  • Pumpkin Bread
  • Cinnamon Swirl Bread

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  • Moist Banana Bread Recipe
  • Cream cheese banana bread
  • Banana Bread Brownies
  • The Best Fried Bananas Recipe

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About the Author

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Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

About Carrie Page
Easy Moist Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes a bread soft and moist? ›

The lesser gluten and the more amount of fat and liquid in recipe, the softer it becomes. Making bread with cake flour (low gluten content) and increasing proportion of milk and butter at some degree are the way to archive its softness.

How do you keep banana bread moist when baking? ›

The best way to ensure that the bread comes out moist is to use the full amount of mashed bananas, 2 cups. If you come up short on the banana, with 1 1/2 or 1 3/4 cups mashed, substitute plain yogurt or sour cream for the missing quantity to keep the loaf moist.

Why is my banana bread so moist? ›

Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.

What gives quick breads moisture? ›

Eggs also add moisture, color, flavor, and nutritional value. Generally, recipes call for large eggs. The most common liquid ingredients in quick breads are milk and water. The liquid moistens the batter, helps activate the gluten in the flour, and dissolves the sugar in the recipe.

How do you keep bread moist when baking? ›

Use a pan of cold water on a rack beneath your bread. Otherwise, bake your bread for the first half of its bake time inside a Dutch oven or casserole dish covered with foil or an oven-safe lid to trap moisture around your bread.

What makes bread soft and Pillowy? ›

Sugar: Not only does it sweeten the bread, but sugar also retains moisture. This means that adding sugar can indeed make bread softer. Baking Soda: When added, especially in recipes with acidic ingredients, it can make bread soft and spongy. However, it's essential to balance the quantities to avoid a soapy taste.

Why is my banana cake not moist? ›

If you use a yellow (or even worse a green) banana in your cake not only will it not have as much flavour it will be significantly drier. It's important to make sure your bananas are well mashed. If they aren't broken down well enough less moisture is released from the fruit, effecting the texture of your cake.

Why is my banana bread dry on the outside? ›

Using too much butter makes for a heavier cake with less banana flavor. Using double the amount of butter that the recipe called for left me with a loaf that was dry on the outside and moist on the inside. The coloring was almost identical to that of the loaf made with too little butter.

What happens if you don't let banana bread cool? ›

Once a loaf of banana bread is fully baked and taken out of the oven, it's crucial to allow it to fully cool. Banana bread retains heat, especially in the center of the loaf. If the loaf is still warm once it's wrapped for storage, condensation can form, which can lead to mold.

What happens if I put too much banana in banana bread? ›

Banana bread recipes typically ask you to use overripe bananas so that they're easier to mush. This means it's tempting to toss all your bananas into the mix when you're ready to bake, to avoid food waste. But if you add too much of the fruit into your batter, your bread could turn out mushy, heavy, and wet.

Why is my homemade banana bread dry? ›

When it comes to banana bread, moisture is key, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference in getting the perfect banana bread consistency. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with really dry banana bread, and If you don't use enough flour, your banana bread will be way too wet.

Why is my banana bread dense and not fluffy? ›

An overmixed banana bread batter will result in a dense, rubbery loaf. As you're prepping your batter, heed the advice of "stir until just moistened" and "no more than 10 seconds."

What are the 7 basic ingredients in quick bread? ›

  • Flour. Gives baked goods- Structure.
  • Liquids/Milk. Gives baked goods-Moisture & helps combine ingredients.
  • Chemical Leavening Agents (baking soda, powder) Make quick breads quick- Produces carbon dioxide, leavens baked product.
  • Fat. Gives baked goods-Flavor, tenderness.
  • Eggs. ...
  • Salt. ...
  • Sugar. ...
  • Shortening.

What ingredient makes bread softer? ›

When you add milk to your dough, the lactose (milk sugar) will add a subtle sweetness to your bread, and the milk proteins will increase its nutritional value. Better still, the milk fats help retain carbon monoxide gases during baking, so your loaf comes out softer.

What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder? ›

Baking soda and baking powder are not the same. Sodium bicarbonate and bicarbonate of soda are other names for baking soda. Baking powder is made of baking soda plus cream of tartar and cornstarch. Baking powder can be substituted for baking soda by tripling the amount of baking powder.

What is the trick to soft bread? ›

One of the easiest ways our bakers follow to make bread soft and fluffy is by using 1-2 tablespoons of lubricant/fats such as vegetable oil to wet the ingredients. This will prevent the formation of excess gluten, as excess gluten makes bread chewy.

What chemical makes bread softer? ›

Final answer: Baking soda is used to make bread soft and spongy. Q. Baking soda is used in small amount in making bread and cake. It helps to make these soft and spongy.

How do you keep bread soft and fluffy? ›

The arch enemy of bread is air, which absorbs moisture that keeps bread soft and fluffy, so the best place to store it is wrapped tightly and left on the counter or stowed in a sealed container.

What does egg do to bread? ›

besides the nutritional benefits there are a few other good reasons to use egg in breadmaking. It makes the bread lighter and fluffier. The reason for that is the fat in the yolk that inhibits gluten formation just as any other fat would. This results in a looser dough that can expand and puff up more.

References

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