Moist Tender Banana Bread (Print)

A classic moist banana loaf with chocolate chips or nuts. Perfect for breakfast or snacking.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Fruit

08 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

→ Optional Add-Ins

09 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips OR
10 - 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
04 - Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Mix in the mashed bananas until well combined.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently until just combined.
07 - Fold in chocolate chips or nuts, if using.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
09 - Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
10 - Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It rescues those sad brown bananas sitting on your counter and turns them into something people actually fight over.
  • You can make it a dozen different ways depending on what's in your pantry, so it never gets boring.
  • The batter comes together in one bowl with no fancy equipment, which means less cleanup and more eating.
  • It stays moist for days, and honestly tastes even better on day two when the flavors have settled in.
02 -
  • If your bananas aren't ripe enough, the bread will taste flat and bland, so wait until they're covered in brown spots and smell sweet.
  • Opening the oven door too early can cause the center to collapse, so resist peeking until at least 50 minutes have passed.
  • The toothpick test is your friend, but a few moist crumbs are fine, you're looking for wet batter to disappear, not total dryness.
03 -
  • If you don't have ripe bananas, roast unpeeled bananas in a 300°F oven for 15 minutes until the skins turn black, the insides will be soft and sweet enough to use.
  • For an even rise and a professional look, tap the filled pan sharply on the counter a few times before baking to release any trapped air bubbles.
  • If you love a really crispy crust, brush the top of the loaf with melted butter as soon as it comes out of the oven.
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