Moist with a tender crumb, this expertly tested banana bread recipe couldn’t be easier.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger
Article by Laura Denby
Filled with warm spices and deep, concentrated banana flavor, banana bread makes for a hearty, satisfying breakfast or treat. Our expertly-tested banana bread recipe is fast and easy, and we’ve refined it over the years to put all of the best parts of moist banana bread on full display. Whether you eat it throughout the week, freeze the leftovers or gobble it down in one morning, this banana bread recipe is one you can use over and over again.
How to Make Banana Bread Like a Pro
Use ripe bananas: Ripe bananas have a deeper, more concentrated flavor than unripe bananas, which makes them one of the most important banana bread ingredients. Overripe bananas also mash more easily than firm bananas. They’re softer and moister, which means they mash nicely with a fork and mix easily with the rest of the wet ingredients.
Cream the butter and sugar first: Creaming the butter sugar together first helps create a fluffy, light base that will result in moist banana bread. This is an important step in making chocolate chip cookies too — it helps aerate the butter and distribute the sugar evenly throughout the batter.
Mash the banana thoroughly: Any homemade banana bread recipe should have a deep banana flavor that’s evenly distributed throughout the batter. That’s why it’s essential to mash the banana thoroughly — it helps the banana mix into the batter more evenly and consistently.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Recipes for banana bread may vary, but one component is always the same — ripe bananas! You can certainly use frozen bananas here as long as they’re thawed before you incorporate them into the batter. In fact, frozen bananas tend to have a more concentrated flavor and mushier, easier-to-mash consistency.
How Do You Freeze Banana Bread?
Homemade banana bread is easy to freeze. First, let it cool down and come down to room temperature. Next, wrap the banana bread thoroughly in plastic wrap, then transfer to a resealable bag. Try to press out as much air as possible, then seal and place in the freezer for up to two months. For more information about freezing baked goods, check out our guide.
How Can You Ripen Bananas Quickly?
There are three ways that we quickly ripen bananas in the Food Network Kitchen. First, you can try placing bananas in a paper bag with another ripe piece of fruit and leaving them on the counter. The paper bag method should ripen the bananas in about two days. If you need to ripen bananas quickly, place them on a baking sheet and put into a preheated oven set to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure to separate the bananas but keep the peel intact. Bake until the bananas feel soft and mushy with brown spots, about 20 minutes. Lastly, you can ripen the bananas for moist banana bread in the microwave. To do so, prick an unpeeled banana all over with a fork. Place the banana on a plate and microwave it for 30 second intervals until it reaches your desired softness.
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