Easy Banana Bread Recipe: It’s the secret ingredient that makes this banana bread so moist and so delicious. It’s easy, quick, and an addictive recipe you’ll make over and over.
As I was walking towards my trash can with 3 really ripe bananas the other day, I stopped in my tracks and realized that I could put those nasty looking things to some good use!
Banana bread!
Photos Updated: November 2018!
Ok, so I knew I wanted to find an easy banana bread recipe because my toddler was sitting at the table coloring (which only lasts minutes), and my newborn was due to eat in like 30 minutes.
I began scouring the internet for an “Easy Banana Bread Recipe,” and found a few on Pinterest, and combined them to make it more to my liking! And WOAH, did it ever turn out delicious!
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Easy Banana Bread Recipe:
How to Bake Banana Bread in Mini Loaf Pans
The first time I made this, I knew I had the CUTEST little mini loaf baking pan that I wanted to use, so I had to adjust the baking time a little, rather than what the original recipe called for. (I wasn’t sure how long to bake them, so I just started checking the middle after about 20 minutes of baking, and removed them when a toothpick inserted into the middle came out clean. Keep in mind, all mini loaf pans and paper pans, are not the same size, so time will differ for you too!)
How to Bake Banana Bread in Regular Loaf Pans
My oven cooks SUPER fast, so I had to be cautious when it came to baking this banana bread. So where I had to bake my banana bread in regular size loaf pans for 40 minutes, it may take anywhere from 40-55 minutes for your oven.
Periodically check with a toothpick until the center comes out clean after about 40 minutes.
SIDE NOTE: Since I used two different pans, they both cooked differently too. One pan was much thinner than the other, so that loaf of bread finished before the other.
Start with RIPE Bananas
I’m not going to lie. When I see at least 3 bananas on my counter that are starting to turn a little brown, I get a little too excited.
I despise eating bananas by themselves. But turn them into banana bread, and you can’t keep me out of it.
For this recipe, start with ripe bananas.
Don’t worry… if you need to make it NOW, and the store only had underripe bananas… it’s ok. I’ve been impatient before and still make it. It turned out just fine!
How to Make Moist Banana Bread with this Secret Ingredient
I truly believe there’s an ingredient in this banana bread recipe that makes it so good, and moist. Buttermilk. Yes, really! (Don’t have buttermilk on hand, DON’T worry. Just use a bit of lemon juice and regular milk to substitute. More details below.)
How to Make Banana Bread
With a mixer (I use my Kitchenaid), mix together the butter and the sugar.
Next, add in the mashed bananas and the eggs.
Pro Tip: Throw your bananas into a Ziploc bag, seal, and mash them with your hands through the bag or with a rolling pin!
In a separate bowl, mix together your flour, baking soda, and salt.
Next, fold in the dry ingredients, alternating the buttermilk (or milk and lemon juice) with the flour.
Once that is mixed, you’re ready to add to your desired, greased baking dish.
How Long to Bake Banana Bread in Oven…
Mini loaves take me about 20 minutes, and two regular loaf pans take about 40 minutes.
How Long to Cool Banana Bread
Once you remove your banana bread from the oven, let sit a few minutes and then release it from the loaf pan to fully cool on a wire rack. (I do this when we want to eat it in a hurry.)
Slice and serve!
But do me a favor… if you’re making it just for fun, give it a try when it’s warm. You won’t regret it.
Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or you can combine 1/2 cup milk with 2 teaspoons lemon juice & set aside to curdle
- 3/4 cup butter softened (1-1/2 sticks)
- 1-1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/2 cup very ripe bananas mashed, which is about 3 large bananas
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Mix-Ins (optional):
- chocolate chips
- nuts walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
- In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and the sugar.
- Add in the mashed bananas and eggs. Mix together until well combined.
- In a separate bowl. mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately to the wet mixture, and mix with a hand mixer on low or by hand until combined.
- If you’re adding chocolate chips/nuts, add to mixture and hand stir to combine
- If baking in regular-size loaf pans (split batter in half between the two.) If using mini loaf pans, fill each cavities about half way.
- If baking in regular-size loaf pans, bake at 325 for 40-45 minutes. (Some have stated their ovens do better at baking for 50-55 minutes.) If baking in mini loaf pans, bake at 325 and begin checking after 20 minutes with a toothpick to see if it comes out clean. (Because each mini loaf size is different like mentioned above.)
Nutrition
If you’re feeling ambitious, throw in some chocolate chips or pecans, just before baking for an added “yumm-o” factor! 😉
My boys DEVOURED this banana bread recipe. It didn’t last one day in our house…. Oooops!
For more quick and easy favorite recipes, don’t forget to check out my recipe archives! You can always count on quick, easy, and slightly homemade recipes around here:
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Did you make this banana bread? Let me know if you liked it, in the comments below!
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Lovely graphic! Where did you get those cute mini-loaf pans? I’d bake more if it looked that cute. 🙂
Thank you! I believe I got these at Wal-Mart on a whim, but I buy a lot of these from Pick Your Plum ( http://tracking.pickyourplum.com/aff_c?offer_id=2&aff_id=2538 ) when they have them for sale!
I was going to comment on the cute loaf containers too! LOVE them!
Thank you! Wal-Mart may still have some in their party section! But you may have better luck online!
Your site and your pictures are beautiful! Your toddler and mine would get along well. Seth colored for all of 5 minutes this morning and then decided to war his brother ’cause he was bored… 🙂
Oh my, thank you so much for your lovely comments! I think you’re right… they would get along well. Too bad we don’t live near each other for a play date! 🙂
I love the cute little mini loaf wrappers you used! They are so adorable. I love banana bread. I haven’t made it for a while. My kids love bananas. They never go bad in our household.
Today was the mini-loaf day! But yours are much cuter. I am amazed you found a recipe and got it made in less than half an hour and then took pictures and got it on the blog!
These look so very tasty! I love the presentation in the individual loaf pans too.
Those look so cute! butter milk huh? Is it like a secret ingredient?
Congrats on your newborn, Jessica! Glad you could find a split second to bake up some delish!
Thank you!! I have such a sweet tooth, that I make sure I make time for some goodies! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Banana is my favourite fruit ever after, always, and all of the time. I could eat 17 pieces when I was on my 3rd grade. Everything made out of bananas would be great for me. Thanks for sharing.
Oooooh! It sounds like you may be baking banana bread soon! 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I love banana bread and I agree, those loaf pans are adorable! I have a big mini loaf metal pan that I use. I prefer that to one big loaf.
Thank you! I’m a fan of cutesy little loaf pans, and I can’t help but buy them when I see a good deal on them. Lol! Thanks for stopping by!
I haven’t made banana bread in a long time. Just did not have any good recipe. Then I found your recipe. I think the secret is in the butter and the buttermilk. I used kefir because I had no buttermilk. I also added 1 tsp of baking powder and 1 tsp of vanilla extract. It turned out soooooooooo good! Thxs for sharing.
So glad you liked it! Your changes sound delicious too!
I’m currently cooking this, in regular sized loaf pans. They have been in going on an hour and WON’T cook in the middle. It is absolute mush in the center. I followed the recipe to the T. No idea what’s wrong, but it’s not turning out for me. =(
Oh no Stacy! I’m so sorry it’s not turning out! If the top is baking too much, try covering with aluminum foil so it won’t burn, but will allow to cook more in the middle!
It could be the pan. I recently bought new cake pans for depth and guess what my cakes for the first time ever sank in the middle and were lopsided it was horrible. I learned the hard way just because a baking pan is bought from a cake store and is expensive doesn’t make it good quality. My Walmart purchased pans have all worked just fine.
It’s in the oven and smells deelish! Thanks for the easy recipe.. I’m a beginner at 64! Lol
Yaaay!!! I hope you love it! It really is my favorite! 🙂
This banana bread was the bomb.com!!!! I knew it would be great because the batter tasted like banana pudding! Moist, sweet, and flavorful! I added walnuts and imagined myself a chef lol I also used the lemon and milk trick for the buttermilk. Making more today! I just made this last night for dessert. By 6am, they were gone!
Yaaay!!! I’m so happy to hear that you liked it! Haha, that sooo sounds like our house when we make banana bread! Lol! Thanks for coming by! XO
Just put the first loaf in the oven! I had some extra bananas that went to mush and I didn’t want to throw them out… here’s to hoping they come out looking as great as yours do!
Yay! I hope it turned out great!!
They were amazing! I doubled the recipe and made 3 larger loaves and they were perfectly done at 60 minutes. They were gone within the week! I can’t wait to forget about more bananas so that I have to make this again! LOL
Haaaahahahaha!! I totally understand and can totally relate! Love that. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Made it today as my husband is gluten intolerant. Used grated squash/ banana , turned out fab. Thks great recipe,
Oh how wonderful!!! Thank you so much for sharing that it worked with grated squash! Yum!!!
Wonderful and Moist!! I tried it both ways…one loaf pan and 3 mini pans. All turned out beautifully! Used the milk and lemon juice didn’t have buttermilk. Loaf pan to eat now and put the three small loaves in separate bags in the freezer so it wouldn’t all get eaten all at once. My husband was disappointed! Lol Thanks for sharing!
Yaaaaay! I’m thrilled that it turned out and that you liked it! It’s so so good!!!
Made this today. My husband comes out of his mancave and says “Man! That was the BEST banana bread! What did you do?!”
It’s definitely the milk and lemon juice combo!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
Haha!!! YES! Those are my favorite compliments from my husband! Haha. Thank you so much for sharing! XO
Hey, no need to throw out those ripe bananas . . . All you do is put ‘em in the freezer, peel and all. When you are ready to whip up some bread, remove from freezer, peel, then mash.
Yes! Love doing that with ripe bananas now! Thank you Carol!
I made your banana bread this morning. It is delicious BUT I couldn’t get the middle to fully cook. I baked according to the directions but center was mush. I was using a loaf pan I have been using for years. Should the temperature be higher? Absolutely, delicious bread if it would just cook through. Looking for suggestions to correct problem because it’s wonderful bread.
Hi Debbie! I’m sorry the middles aren’t cooking through! I had someone say they cooked theirs for about 60 minutes and it turned out great! It could be a bigger loaf pan than what I use. If the top starts to get too done, maybe try covering it with aluminum foil?
Make the banana bread and it was devoured in 1 day by my husband! Received requests by hubby and kiddos for more. I’ve made the banana a few times now and also have made other variations using pumpkin, orange and cranberry, chocolate and cherries and peanut butter! So good ! Great recipe!
Yay!!! I’m so glad that you like it and that the family likes it too! Thank you for letting me know! 🙂