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Banana Bread Recipe
Four heavily speckled bananas — mashed to 2 full cups — deliver deep natural sweetness to a batter that splits its sugar between white and packed brown for a subtle caramel note. A stick of softened butter creams into both sugars before the eggs and vanilla go in, keeping the crumb soft and rich through 135 minutes of total prep and bake time. The loaf slices cleanly into 8 portions and gets even better the following day once the crust has softened and the flavors settle.
Equipment
- Oven
- Stand Mixer
- Loaf Pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (4 medium)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup butter (1 stick), softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease an 8.5 by 4.5-inch metal loaf pan.
- 2Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix the mashed bananas and vanilla extract.
- 3Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. This incorporates air for a softer crumb. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- 4Turn the mixer down to low speed. Alternately add the dry flour mixture and the wet banana mixture, starting and finishing with the flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
- 5Beat the batter gently just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing will make the bread tough.
- 6Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- 7Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the cooled loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: Wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Tip: The darker and more speckled your bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
Recipe Details
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