Old Fashioned Banana Bread
Growing up my mom, would always make us her Old Fashioned Banana Bread. It would barely make it to the table before we would begin slicing it and smearing it with butter.
This simple banana bread recipe brings back so many great childhood memories and is so delicious. I can guarantee that your entire family will fall in love with this old fashioned banana bread recipe.
Try my Homemade Zucchini Bread if you love this quick bread recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Old fashioned flavor. This banana bread recipe is straight out of my mom’s famous recipe book! It’s moist, fluffy and loaded with flavor.
- Perfect for breakfast or as a snack. Enjoy a slice of this moist banana bread with a cup of coffee or my Infused Reset Tea. It’s even great as an after dinner treat too!
- Easy to make. With only a few fresh ingredients this homemade banana bread will be ready to go!
Recipe Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- Butter – This recipe calls for regular butter. Make sure it’s room temperature.
- Sugar – You’ll need cane sugar for this recipe.
- Eggs – This recipe calls for 2 large eggs. Make sure they are room temperature.
- Bananas – You’ll need 1 cup of smashed ripe banana, roughly 2-3 bananas.
- Milk – This recipe calls for 1/4 cup of 2% milk.
- Vanilla – Make sure to use vanilla extract instead of flavoring.
Dry Ingredients
- Flour – You’ll need 2 cups of AP flour. All purpose flour.
- Baking Soda – This is the leavening agent in the recipe. It allows the bread to rise.
- Salt – Salt activates the leavening agent and adds extra flavor. I used fine sea salt but table salt works fine too.
Variations
- Add some toppings. While butter is by far my favorite topping, cream cheese, jam or peanut butter are also tasty additions to this banana bread.
- Inclusions. Try folding in some chocolate chips, blueberries or your favorite chopped nuts to the batter before baking. Chopped pecans or walnuts would work great.
Expert Tips
To ensure your banana bread is deliciously moist, you have to use ripe bananas. Incredibly ripe bananas with brown spots work best. This is the key to a successful banana bread. When the bananas are spotted and brown, it means that the sugar has been released from the banana, leaving behind the sweet banana flavor for this recipe.
Pour the batter into one 9.25 x 5.25-inch glass, ceramic or nonstick Wilton loaf pan.
How to Make Banana Bread
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Gently spray your loaf pan with baking spray and set it aside.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in one egg at a time. Next, add the smashed banana, 2% milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. (The banana should look like baby food.)
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. This includes the AP flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.
Form Batter and Bake
Next, Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until well combined.
Pour the batter into a 9.25″ x 5.25″-inch prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
How to Store Banana Bread
If you’re planning to enjoy the banana bread within a few days, wrap with parchment paper and store it in an airtight sealable bag. It will stay fresh on the countertop for 3-4 days.
If you want the banana bread to last longer, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Option to freeze as well. To freeze, make sure the banana bread is completely cool, before wrapping it in foil or plastic wrap, and placing it in an airtight sealable bag. Place in the freezer. The bread will last 30-60 days in the freezer. To thaw, place on the counter overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
To ensure your banana bread is deliciously moist, you have to use ripe bananas. Incredibly ripe bananas, almost completely brown on the outside. This is the key to a successful banana bread. When the bananas are spotted and brown, it means that all of the sugar has been released from the banana, leaving behind the sweet banana flavor for this recipe.
Use a 9.25 x 5.25-inch loaf pan for this recipe.
Yes! Cane sugar is much less processed than granulated white sugar yet they are virtually the same from a molecular composition standpoint. In fact, the crystals of cane sugar are slightly larger and golden in color because the molasses hasn’t been fully stripped out. That said, cane sugar is 1 to 1 swap ratio with granulated white sugar. So , it is perfectly fine to swap. To read more click here.
Yes! Once the bread is completely cool, wrap it in foil or plastic wrap. Place the bread inside of an airtight sealable bag and freeze for 30-60 days.
Thaw banana bread overnight on the counter. It will be easy to slice the next day.
Frequently Asked Questions Continued
When you think the bread is done, insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, it is done. If it has batter on it, it needs more time.
Yes! Blueberries, chocolate chips, chopped walnut, or crushed pecans would all be great additions. When adding an inclusion, add about 3/4 – 1 cup and gently fold it into the batter.
Yes! When combining the wet and dry ingredients be sure to combine until everything is just incorporated and there are no flour patches. Over mixing can cause the bread to be dense or thick in texture.
According to my culinary school teacher, quick breads that sink in the center need to be baked longer. It falls inward because the structure of the protein in the bread was not baked long enough.
Other Breakfast Recipes to Consider Trying
- Homemade Zucchini Bread
- The Best Pumpkin Bread
- Healthy Sweet Potato Pancakes
- Healthy Chocolate Blender Muffins
Old Fashioned Banana Bread
Equipment
- 1 9.25 x 5.25 nonstick loaf pan
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 spatula and whisk
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, room temperature, 1 stick
- 1 cup cane sugar, or granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup smashed banana, 2-3 bananas depending on size
- ¼ cup 2% milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups AP flour, all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt, or fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Gently spray your loaf pan with baking spray and set it aside.
Combine the Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Beat in one egg at a time. Next, add the smashed banana, 2% milk and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined. The banana should look like baby food.
Combine the Dry Ingredients
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. This includes the AP flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well.
Form the Batter and Bake
- Next, Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Fold together until well combined. Pour the batter into a 9.25" x 5.25"-inch prepared loaf pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack before slicing.
6 Comments on “Old Fashioned Banana Bread”
Yeah this is the one. Brilliant texture, I did it in a food processor / magimix and it came out absolutely stunning
This recipe was so easy to follow and it was AMAZING! Family approved! Thanks Sarah!
This deserves the highest rating possible. With blueberries? LOVED.
This is exactly the recipe I need for today. Going to add blueberries per your Instagram feed.
This recipe has become a staple in our house! We love adding chocolate chips! This is the best recipe for banana bread, do yourself a favor and make it!
I discover Healtyishfoods during quarantine while working out with my favourite class (Tonic Method). I made this banana bread first and I was hooked. Such a nice website and as I am fellow rescue dog owner(maggietheblindpug) I am in love with Grace.