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A loaf of classic banana bread on parchment with a split golden crust and three thick slices cut showing the moist crumb

Classic Banana Bread

One bowl, eight ingredients and an hour in the oven. Very ripe bananas mashed into melted butter and sugar, flour folded in last, baked in a 4x8 tin until the top cracks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the loaf
  • 2-3 very ripe bananas about 1 to 1 1/4 cups mashed; peel more brown than yellow
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter 76 g, melted and slightly cooled
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar 150 g; 1/2 cup for a less sweet loaf
  • 1 large egg beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 180 g, spooned and levelled
Optional add-ins
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans folded in after the flour
  • 1/2 cup chocolate chips folded in after the flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon added with the baking soda

Equipment

  • 4x8-inch loaf tin
  • Parchment paper
  • - Large mixing bowl
  • - Fork
  • - Rubber spatula
  • - Wire cooling rack
  • Skewer or butter knife

Method
 

Mix
  1. Heat the oven to 350F (175C). Grease a 4x8-inch loaf tin, or line it with parchment leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  2. Mash the peeled bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps. You should have about 1 to 1 1/4 cups.
  3. Stir in the melted butter, then the sugar, beaten egg and vanilla.
  4. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the surface and stir them in, so neither sits in one spot.
  5. Add the flour and fold with a spatula only until the last dry streaks disappear. Fold in any add-ins now. The batter should stay thick and slightly lumpy.
Bake and cool
  1. Scrape the batter into the tin, level the top and bake on the middle rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour.
  2. The loaf is done when it has domed and split down the centre and a skewer pushed into the thickest part comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. If the top darkens before the middle sets, lay foil loosely over the tin for the last 15 minutes.
  3. Rest the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool for at least another 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Store wrapped once completely cool: up to 4 days at room temperature, up to 1 week refrigerated, or up to 3 months frozen whole or in slices. Wrapping a warm loaf traps steam and softens the crust.
Make-ahead: the loaf is better on day two. Overripe bananas can be frozen in their skins and thawed straight into the bowl; drain any liquid that separates.
Substitutions: neutral oil in place of the melted butter, same volume; half the granulated sugar swapped for light brown sugar for a caramel note. Baking powder does not replace the baking soda here.
A 5x9 tin works but bakes faster and flatter, so start checking at 40 minutes.
Nutrition is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis.