Classic American Banana Bread

About This Recipe

Banana bread is a quintessential piece of American home baking, emerging as a recipe staple during the Great Depression when thrift demanded that no overripe fruit be wasted. The riper the bananas the better — deeply blackened skins signal intense sweetness and maximum moisture. The batter comes together quickly in a single bowl and the result is a loaf with a tender, almost pudding-like crumb and a beautifully domed, golden-brown crust. It is at its best sliced thickly and eaten at room temperature, though a gentle warming and a smear of salted butter elevates it further.

Ingredients

Serves 10

• 3very ripe bananas(peeled, about 300 g flesh)
• 115 gunsalted butter(melted and cooled)
• 150 glight brown sugar
• 2large eggs(lightly beaten)
• 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
• 1 teaspoonbicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinchfine sea salt
• 190 gplain flour
• 80 gwalnut halves(roughly chopped, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat and prepare the tin

   Preheat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan). Grease a 23 x 13 cm loaf tin and line with baking parchment, leaving an overhang on the long sides to help lift the loaf out.

2. 2

   Mash the bananas

   In a large bowl, mash the bananas thoroughly with a fork until almost smooth — a few small lumps are fine and add texture. The mixture should look like a chunky purée.

3. 3

   Mix the wet ingredients

   Stir the melted butter into the mashed banana. Mix in the brown sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla extract until well combined.

4. 4

   Add the dry ingredients

   Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda and salt over the mixture. Add the flour and fold in gently until just combined — do not overmix. A few streaks of flour are fine at this stage. Fold in the walnuts if using.

   Overmixing develops gluten and makes banana bread tough. Fold only until the dry ingredients disappear.

5. 5

   Bake

   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf tin. Bake for 60–70 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 45 minutes.

6. 6

   Cool before slicing

   Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Allow to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing — the crumb needs time to set.

Variations

• •

  Chocolate chip banana bread: fold in 100 g of dark chocolate chips with the walnuts.

• •

  Peanut butter banana bread: swirl 3 tablespoons of peanut butter through the batter before baking.

• •

  Spiced banana bread: add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg with the flour.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

Storage

Wrap tightly in cling film or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freezes well, sliced, for up to 3 months. Toast from frozen.

Frequently Asked Questions