Banana Bread Recipe

Making this banana bread recipe will transport you to simpler times. Known to be a crowd-pleasing, cakey dessert, baking up a couple loaves of banana bread is what I would call a no-fuss, lazy Sunday activity.

You most likely have the ingredients to quickly whip up a batch of this homemade banana bread. What’s the key to making the best banana bread? Besides a little bit of patience to wait out the long(ish) baking time, let’s just say a little milk goes a long way.

If you’re planning a family dinner or get-together with friends, bring a loaf (or two) of this delicious banana bread. Then again, don’t be surprised if everyone wants to know the recipe.

I love the smell of banana bread baking in the oven. 

I distinctly remember delighting in my mom’s homemade banana bread. As I’ve mentioned in other posts, she is the best home cook I know. Her banana bread—with or without walnuts—always turned out baked to perfection.

Today, I use this similar but modified version for my own banana bread recipe. It’s slightly different from what you are probably used to, as it contains milk. Also, if you've tried my subtly sweet brownie recipe, you know this will not be too sweet for a banana bread.

After making this banana bread, your home will smell of its cakey, cookie-like goodness the rest of the day!

Ingredients

Bananas are one of my favorite fruits. Loaded with vitamins, I love how portable bananas are.

This banana bread recipe contains just a little milk. Milk not only keeps the bread moist, but lends a subtle richness to the flavor profile. You may not be able to resist eating more than one slice.

As usual, the key to any great banana bread is using very ripe bananas. Since bananas only get sweeter as they ripen, they impart natural sugar into the recipe along with a little added sugar.

Here are the ingredients you will need to make this banana bread recipe:

• Bananas, 1 cup (about 1 ½ to 2 very ripe bananas), mashed - One of the most important aspects of banana bread is to use very overly ripe bananas. Bananas get sweeter as they ripen, which lends much of the sugar content to this recipe.
• Eggs, 2, beaten - The star emulsifying agent in this recipe is the eggs. Make sure to beat the eggs—with a fork or hand blender—before adding to the other ingredients.
• Milk, ¾ cup - Uncommon in banana bread, just a little milk adds moisture and richness to the flavor profile of this recipe. 
• Lemon juice, 1 teaspoon - Cuts through the sweetness, while adding a slight tartness you will most likely not even taste.
• Baking soda, 1 teaspoon - Acts as the fluffy, rising agent to this bread recipe. Some recipes also use baking powder in addition, though this particular recipe only uses baking soda.
• Flour, 2 cups - Creates the base of the bread. I use einkorn organic all-purpose flour.
• Butter, ½ cup, unsalted and softened - Richly flavored unsalted butter brings all the flavors together. You can use salted butter, though skip the salt ingredient in that case.
• Salt, ½ teaspoon - Very few breads are complete without a hint of salt. Salt balances the tangy and sweet all at once. If you use salted butter, you may want to skip this ingredient.
• Granulated sugar, ½ cup - Adding to the sweetness of banana bread, a little added sugar goes a long way.
• Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon - A hint of vanilla complements and enhances the banana flavor. Some people use 1 teaspoon, though this recipe only calls for half that amount.

Variations and Substitutions:

• Add chopped walnuts to give a slight nutty, crunchy goodness to this recipe 
• Fold in semi-sweet chocolate chips for added sweetness and the beloved chocolate

Equipment to Make Banana Bread

A few staple kitchen cookware and bakeware items will help you make banana bread at home. 

• Mixing bowl - Having a nice set of mixing bowls makes baking, and cooking in general, much easier. Stainless steel or glass mixing bowls are common. That said, I’m all about aesthetic kitchen items—functional and beautiful, because it makes me happy. So, I often use handthrown pottery mixing bowls from etuHome, when recipes do not require a hand blender.

• Loaf pan - A 1-lb. loaf pan is the perfect size. Since this recipe yields two 1-lb. Loafs, you may want to have two loaf pans on -hand. You should consider purchasing a high quality baking sheet pan set to handle all the various types of baking you do.
• Cake stand - Desserts, in all their sugary bliss, look delectable when placed on a marble cake stand. Who said you can’t elevate your banana bread on a cake stand? Check out this lovely white marble cake stand or this glass domed marble cake stand.

• Parchment paper - You can find parchment paper at most grocery and specialty stores, including compostable parchment paper sheets at Sur La Table, unbleached parchment paper at Target or Kirkland Signature parchment paper at Costco. 
• Spatula - To easily transfer the pre-cooked banana bread mixture from the mixing bowl to the loaf pan, I have found that a spatula works best. A wood spatula or a silicone spatula should meet most of your baking and cooking needs.

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar, butter and vanilla together using a fork or a hand blender.

2. Blend in the eggs and bananas with lemon juice.

3. Add flour, baking soda and salt, alternating folding in the milk.

4. Pour half the mixture into a loaf baking pan. You can line a loaf pan with parchment paper, butter or oil to make it easier to release after baking.

5. Bake 350 for 50 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if it’s done. The toothpick should come out clean. Allow to cool on a rack before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Banana bread is a chameleon of desserts. It’s a sweet bread that can be served at parties or slow Sunday mornings with butter. You will enjoy serving up banana bread whenever a craving hits. I recommend always serving banana bread with butter.

• Breakfast - If you’re into a sweet start to the morning, serve oven-warmed banana bread with butter. Some people put jam on their banana bread as well.
• Dessert - Slice up banana bread as an after dinner dessert. Banana bread shines at holiday parties, where guests clamor for a sweet treat. Make a couple loaves for the whole family to enjoy.

• Snack - Banana bread can make for a morning snack to keep you going until lunch. Cut a slice or two into bite sized pieces.

How to Store Banana Bread

Banana bread is easily stored on the countertop or refrigerator for a few days. Banana bread also freezes very well. To freeze banana bread, store in a freezer safe container for a month or two.

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