Classic Banana Bread Recipe (That Never Fails!)

A foolproof, super-moist banana bread that’s perfect every time.

Key Info:

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10-12 slices
Difficulty: Easy
Dietary: Vegetarian (vegan options available)

Equipment Needed:

9×5-inch loaf pan
Large mixing bowl
Whisk or wooden spoon
Fork for mashing
Measuring cups/spoons
Optional: Stand mixer (not necessary)

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas (about 1½ cups mashed)
½ cup unsalted butter, melted (120g)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients:

1¾ cups all-purpose flour (210g)
⅔ cup granulated sugar (130g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Optional Mix-ins:

½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
½ cup chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Method:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line your loaf pan.
Mash bananas in a large bowl until smooth but still slightly chunky.
Mix melted butter, eggs, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
CRUCIAL STEP: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until combined. Do not overmix!
Pour batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
Bake for 55-65 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Check at 45 minutes and cover with foil if browning too quickly.

Ripe bananas on a wooden cutting board under natural lighting

Crucial Tips:

Use VERY ripe bananas (black spots are good!)
Don’t overmix – stop when you see the last streak of flour disappear
Ingredients should be room temperature
Test doneness with a skewer – moist crumbs are fine, wet batter isn’t

Wet ingredients being mixed in a bowl on a marble countertop

Storage & Variations:

Storage:

Room temperature: 3-4 days wrapped tightly
Refrigerated: Up to 1 week
Frozen: Up to 3 months

Person folding dry ingredients into a bowl in a rustic-style kitchen

Common Mistakes:

Using unripe bananas
Overmixing the batter
Opening the oven door too often
Not letting ingredients reach room temperature

Pouring batter into a lined loaf pan for baking preparation

Scaling Tips:

Recipe doubles well for two loaves
Mini loaves: Reduce baking time to 25-30 minutes
Muffins: Bake for 20-25 minutes

Variations:

Vegan: Replace eggs with flax eggs, butter with coconut oil
Healthier: Use whole wheat flour and reduce sugar to ½ cup
Chocolate Lover’s: Add ½ cup cocoa powder and chocolate chips
Nutty: Add toasted nuts and a streusel topping

Golden brown banana bread cooling on a rack with steam rising

This recipe has been tested countless times in my kitchen, and it’s absolutely foolproof when you follow these steps precisely. The result is a perfectly moist, flavorful banana bread that’ll make your kitchen smell amazing!