My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe

With its super-moist and buttery texture, banana and brown sugar flavors, soft crumb, and 1,300+ reviews, this is a delicious AND undeniably popular banana bread recipe. You need 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas.

I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.

One reader, Michele, says: “Perfectly delish every time! Absolutely foolproof. Nuts, no nuts, smidge more or less of sour cream—no problem… bigger bananas, smaller—no worries, perfect, beyond delicious EVERY time. ★★★★★”

This is my favorite banana bread recipe, one that I’ve cherished for years. It’s one of those classic recipes that you start to know by heart. This bread comes to mind first when I have leftover spotty bananas on the counter, and it’s the bread that’s on constant rotation in my freezer stash.

It’s one of the most popular recipes I’ve published on this website, out of over 1,200.

One reader, Tricia, commented: “I have this recipe on speed dial. LOL. It is so tasty and is always a crowd pleaser. My kids and entire family love it!!! ★★★★★”

Yes, I have this recipe on speed dial too! 😉

I’ve tried dozens of banana bread recipes over the years, and when I baked and originally published this recipe many years ago, I never looked back.

Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread Recipe Too

• Mega banana flavor
• Not overly sweet, so banana flavor shines
• Dense, but still quite tender & soft
• Buttery & stays moist for days (tastes best on day 2, just like peanut butter chocolate chip zucchini bread)
• Straightforward, simple recipe
• Freezes wonderfully
• Excellent plain or with nuts or chocolate chips—or a swipe of cinnamon butter

How to Mash Bananas

Did you know you can use your electric mixer to mash bananas? Break or slice the spotty bananas into large pieces and place in the bowl of your stand mixer—or use a regular mixing bowl and your hand mixer. Begin beating on low, then gradually increase to medium-high speed as the bananas break down into mashed banana. Transfer the bananas to another bowl and use the mixing bowl for the butter and sugar. (No need to clean it—some mashed banana remnants is fine.)

I do this when I mash bananas for banana muffins and banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies too.

Ingredients

• 285g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 110g butter (plus more for greasing)
• 225g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 4 ripe bananas, mashed
• 85ml buttermilk (or milk + 1½ tsp lemon juice)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease a 900g loaf tin.
2. Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt into a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix until well combined.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients until just combined—do not overmix.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 1 hour, or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk, use milk with a splash of lemon juice or vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes.