Bananas are one of the most nutritious and versatile fruits out there. A perfectly ripe banana is super delicious with its natural sugar and creamy texture- no wonder it disappears so fast from my kitchen table! But what happens when they overripe?
With brown skins and a strong smell that makes me think twice about why I even bought them in the first place, they are often destined for the food bin!
However, I am strongly opposed to wasting food, especially when it’s something as tasty as bananas. So, instead of tossing the overripe bananas away, I bake them into a delicious, mouth-watering banana bread. The bananas that no one seemed to care about suddenly turn into a yummy treat everyone loves!
The secret behind banana bread’s deliciousness?
It’s the natural sugar coming from those mushy bananas that give the bread a soft, caramel-like sweetness. With today’s simple recipe and no fancy ingredients, the banana bread you will make is sure to disappear faster than those bananas ever did!
Choosing The Right Bananas For Moist Banana Bread Recipe
The key to this recipe’s success? You guessed it- it’s bananas!
Choose the right bananas and you are guaranteed a moist and flavorful loaf every time. It may sound simple, but picking the perfect bananas makes all the difference between a dry, bland loaf and a deliciously soft, golden-crusted banana bread packed with flavor!
Here are several key factors you need to keep in mind while selecting the bananas for this recipe:
Yellow Skin With Brown Spots
Bananas with yellow skin and plenty of brown spots are exactly the ones you want for this recipe to succeed. The brown spots are indicators of the starch of the bananas turning into natural sugar, ergo, these fruits have the right amount of sweetness for a delicious banana bread!
Soft Texture
Soft, ripe bananas are the key to making banana bread as their creamy texture makes it easy to mash. This softness allows the bananas to blend easily and the flavor to spread into the batter evenly- resulting in a moist loaf with naturally sweet flavor. Firm bananas, on the other hand, are harder to mash and might leave banana chunks in the batter, which leads to bread with uneven texture and a less flavorful taste.
To check on the banana’s softness, gently press on the skin with your fingers. The banana should feel soft and squish a little under your touch without feeling watery.
Brown/Black Bananas For Extra Sweetness
Want your banana bread to turn out as sweet as you?
For extra sweetness, choose bananas that are almost entirely brown or even black, as long as they aren’t rotten! These bananas may have an unpleasant appearance that nobody seems to prefer, however, they make the best banana bread with their natural sweetness and creamy texture! The brown or black skin indicates the bananas have ripened to a perfect stage that adds more flavor and caramel-like sweetness to your banana bread.
Avoid Green/Pale Yellow Bananas
This recipe is not suited for unripe, green or barely ripe bananas at all. Avoid bananas with green or pale yellow skin as these bananas contain way more starch for the banana bread to turn out perfectly. As the sugar content is low and starch is high in these varieties, the bread will result in a bland, dense texture that’s unpleasant to eat.
Speed Up The Ripening Process
Got a few bananas on the table that seem to take forever to ripen? No need to wait it out, I have got a few hacks up my sleeves to speed up the ripening process!
Grab a paper bag and place the bananas with an apple, pear or avocado. These fruits release ethylene gas, which helps ripen the bananas faster. In a closed paper bag, the gas gets trapped and moves along the ripening process. Check after 24 hours to make sure the bananas have ripened but haven’t started to rot.
For a faster option, you can bake the bananas before using them for the recipe. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the bananas for 15-20 minutes. The skin should get blackened, and bananas should become soft after the baking. Let the bananas cool slightly before using them in your recipe.
How To Store Banana Bread Recipe?
Got some leftover slices of banana bread or the whole banana bread? No worries- banana bread stays fresh when stored properly, so you can continue to enjoy its deliciousness for days!
Here are several ways you can store banana bread and keep it soft and flavorful:
Room Temperature
If you have only a few leftover slices or whole that can be finished within 2-3 days, I recommend keeping it at room temperature and enjoying the freshness. To keep the bread moist, wrap the bread tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container.
Refrigeration
For more than 3 days of storage, you need to keep the banana bread in the refrigerator. Wrap the bread in a plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out and the bread will be good to eat for 1 week. Keep in mind that refrigeration might alter the texture of the bread and make it a bit dense.
Freezing
If you have made a huge batch of banana bread and can’t finish it all in time, freezing is the perfect solution for you. Before freezing the bread, slice it into individual pieces and wrap them in plastic wrap or aluminum foil. Store the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe bag, and the banana bread will be good for up to 3 months.
Variations You Must Try To Make This Best Banana Bread Recipe(One Bowl)
I love simple and classic recipes that are easy to prepare. But that’s no excuse to limit our creativity, right?
With that in mind, You can try experimenting with different variations of this one-bowl banana bread recipe whenever you can free up some extra time. There are plenty of variations for banana bread, but here are some of the variations that pair beautifully with this recipe:
Chocolate
If you are a chocolate lover like me, then you can try this make chocolate banana bread. You have to add 1/4 cup of cocoa powder and 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to make this recipe chocolaty.
Nutty Flavor
To make this banana loaf healthy, add some nuts, which also gives some crunch to your favorite banana bread recipe. Add 1/2 cup of chopped walnut, pecan, or almonds to your choices; otherwise, add any two nuts to your banana nut bread.
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Cinnamon swirl banana bread is a delicious twist that adds a sweet, spiced ribbon throughout the loaf. Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and 2 tbsp of brown sugar to the mixer and add the leftover on top of the batter to make it crunchy and caramelized.
Blueberry Banana Bread
If You like blueberries, try this blueberry banana bread recipe; add 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberry to the batter. 1 tbsp of flour to coat them before adding them to the bread mixture; this will help prevent the berries from sinking into the batter.
Zucchini Banana Bread
To make Zucchini Banana Bread, add 1/2 cup of shredded zucchini to the banana bread batter. You can also add some raisins or cranberries to pop up the sweetness of the bread.
Easy Banana Bread Recipe (One Bowl)
Ingredients
- Butter (For Greasing)
- Flour (For Dusting)
- 3 large Bananas (Very Ripe)
- ½ cup / 110 g Brown Sugar
- ¼ cup / 50 g Sugar
- ½ cup / 125 ml Melted Butter
- 2 medium-size Eggs
- 1 tsp / 5 ml Vanilla Essence
- 1.5 cup / 210 g All-purpose Flour
- 1 tsp / 4 g Baking Soda
- ½ tsp / 1 g Cinnamon Powder
- ¼ tsp / 2 g Salt
Equipments
- 9X5 Loaf Pan
Instructions
Prepare The Pan
- Take a 9×5-inch loaf pan and lightly grease the pan’s bottom and sides with butter.
- Dust the greased pan with flour and shake the pan gently to coat it evenly. Tap out the excess flour and set the prepared pan aside for later use.
Mash Bananas And Mix Wet Ingredients
- Grab a mixing bowl and place 3 large very ripe bananas into it. Using a fork, mash the bananas until they are smooth.
- Add ½ cup of brown sugar and ¼ cup of white sugar to the bananas.
- Pour ½ cup of melted butter into the bowl.
- Use a whisk to mix all the ingredients until they are well combined.
- Crack 2 medium-sized eggs into the bowl.
- Add 1 tsp of vanilla essence to the eggs.
- Whisk the ingredients together until the mixture is smooth.
Sift Dry Ingredients
- Place a sieve over the mixing bowl and add 1.5 cups of all-purpose flour to the sieve.
- Add 1 tsp of baking soda to the flour.
- Sprinkle ½ tsp of cinnamon powder and ¼ tsp of salt over the flour mixture.
- Sift the dry ingredients into the wet mixture below in the mixing bowl.
- Using a whisk, combine all the ingredients and mix just until there are no lumps in the batter.
Bake The Bread
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles trapped inside the batter.
- Place the loaf pan in a preheated oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius and bake for 60-65 minutes(1 hour).
Cool, Slice, and Serve!
- Once baked, insert a toothpick in the center if it comes out clean, then remove the pan from the oven and let the banana bread cool for 15 minutes.
- Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the bread.
- Transfer the bread to a wire rack and let it cool completely.
- Slice the banana into thick pieces and enjoy the delicious homemade banana bread!
Video
Feeling drained and ready to quit before your shifts end? Grab a slice of banana bread!
Packed with potassium, vitamins, and healthy carbohydrates, just one banana bread slice is enough to give you an instant boost to power through the end of your working day. With its buttery soft crumbs, natural banana sweetness, and a hint of cinnamon powder, this banana loaf is incredibly delicious and filled with wholesome, nutritional goodness!
Recipe FAQs
How Do I Make Banana Bread Softer or Super Moist?
To make the banana bread softer and moist, mix the batter until it’s just combined. Also, make sure not to overbake the bread, as that can dry it out and reduce its softness.
Can I Puree The Bananas Instead Of Just Mashing Them?
Absolutely! I prefer mashed bananas as they give a chunky texture to the bread. However, you can puree the bananas for smoother, uniform crumbs.
How Do I Make This Easy Banana Bread Recipe Healthier?
You can make the banana bread healthier by substituting all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, using Greek yoghurt instead of butter, and reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe.
What Other Types Of Flour Can I Use For This Banana Recipe?
You can use almond flour or coconut flour instead of all-purpose flour in this recipe. These alternatives will make the bread a little bit dense, so you may need to adjust the recipe by adding more liquid.
