Imagine the aroma of freshly baked banana bread wafting through the house. Is there anything better? Sometimes I try to keep everyone from eating all the bananas so I have an excuse to make this more often.
Banana Bread
It’s a classic kitchen scene. The week is drawing to a close and most of the produce has been consumed, even though you’re still a couple of days from grocery shopping day. But on the counter, there they are. A few bananas piled together. Their once greenish yellow skin now aging to brown. If your kids are anything like mine, they won’t touch the banana after it has reached a specific yellow to brown ratio on the peel. But you hate to waste them. Of course there’s always one thing you can do: Banana bread!
Banana bread is delicious for breakfast, a side at a brunch, or a snack anytime. It also is a great gift to give around the holidays to friends and neighbors. Everyone loves banana bread!
Tips from the Pros
As with all baking, there are a few things that can get in the way of a successful loaf of banana bread.
- Avoid cooking the bread on too high a temperature. Lower temps mean longer baking time, but it also means the inside is done at the same time as the outside of the bread. If you find your banana bread is overdone on the outside and underdone in the middle, try lowering the baking temperature by a few degrees.
- Grease and flour the pan. Some people favor the grease and flour technique. This works well. But you can also use a baking specific spray like Pam with Flour or Baker’s Joy. A regular canola oil cooking spray will not be enough to keep the bread from sticking to the pan.
- Transfer bread to a Ziplock bag or airtight container after baking. This will hold in the moisture, especially if you aren’t planning on serving it right away.
Can You Freeze Banana Bread?
Yes! In fact, banana bread freezes beautifully for up to three months. Double or triple this recipe and freeze the extra loaves to enjoy later. For the best results when freezing follow these steps:
- Make sure the banana bread is completely cooled.
- Wrap the banana bread TWICE in plastic wrap.
- Wrap it once more in aluminum foil or place it in a resealable freezer bag.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
- To thaw, remove the bread from the freezer bag or take off the foil layer.
- Keep the plastic wrap on the bread until it is thawed.
- Slice and serve.
- Keep unused portion in an airtight container or plastic bag.
More Bread Recipes To Try
If you like this yummy banana bread, here are a few more bread recipes to try:
- Chocolate Banana Bread is moist, easy and contains a secret ingredient… Brownie Mix!
- Coconut Almond Bread has a moist, coconutty bread with a hint of almond. It’s perfect for breakfast, or for a sweet treat.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is the quintessential flavor of fall. Fill your home with the delicious aroma of fall spices.
- Mom’s Zucchini Bread is a no-fail recipe and the perfect way to use up extra zucchini, whether from your garden or your neighbors’.
- If you are looking for a gluten-free sweet bread, our Gluten Free Zucchini Bread is fabulous!
How To Make Banana Bread
house. Is there anything better? Sometimes I try to keep everyone from
eating all the bananas so I have an excuse to make this more often.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3 bananas very ripe
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Mix together everything but the flour and bananas until smooth.
- Mash the bananas in a small bowl. You can mash the bananas as much or as little as you like. If you want chunks of banana in your bread, don't mash them too much. If you just want banana flavor, mash thoroughly.
- Slowly blend in flour, then add the bananas and walnuts (if you are using them).
- Spray a regular size bread pan and fill with batter.
- Bake at 325 for 60 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting toothpick or knife in the center of the loaf. When it comes out clean, it's ready to take out of the oven.
Equipment
- Bread Pan
- Conventional Oven
