This Best Banana Bread Recipe is easy to make, tastes amazing, and will make everyone happy that you give a slice to – including yourself!  

If you’ve been hunting for the perfect banana nut bread recipe, you can rest now because the hunt is over.  

I found this recipe in one of the Food Network cookbooks.  It had lots of good reviews on it, so I decided to give it a try.  

My mom always made a wonderful banana bread, but the recipe has shortening in it – so I’ve been looking for a replacement recipe.  

Baking Tip:  Because I make so many different tea breads, I use this stoneware pan that I love.  You can find one on Amazon.  

Do you know what the most searched for bread recipe online is?  It’s not white bread, not wheat bread, and it’s not sourdough. The number one online search for bread is banana bread.

This delicious recipe is one of those classic recipes that continues to stay as popular as it always has been.  

My mom always made our banana bread with pecans – so any banana bread that doesn’t have them isn’t real banana bread to me. 

History of Homemade Banana Bread:  

When baking soda and baking powder became popular in the 1930s, that’s when banana bread made their way into cookbooks like Pillsbury’s 1933 Balanced Recipes Cookbook according to Wikipedia. 

It also became popular during this time period because of the Great Depression.  Every scrap of food was used, because any type of food waste was unacceptable.  

For more information on the history of banana bread, check out this fun article on King Arthur Flour’s website.  

Banana Trivia:  

1) When the banana is green, it has a high starch content.  As the banana turns yellow, the starches turn to sugars.  

2) In Ecuador, each person averages eating 218 pounds of bananas every year.  Americans on average eat 27 pounds of bananas per year.  

3) Hawaii is the only place in the United States where bananas are grown commercially.  

4) Bananas are thought to grow on trees.  This isn’t true.  The plants they grow on are classified as an herb. (Ok – I think most people don’t know that little tidbit.) 

5) Bananas are a great source of potassium, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6.

What you can do with leftover banana skins: 

Don’t throw out those banana skins.  There’s quite a few uses for them. 

1) Did you know that the oils on the inside of the banana skin can help itching and inflammation caused by bug bites?  

2) Bury banana skins next to your rose bushes.  They love the nutrients in the skins.  

3) You can use the inside of the banana peel to shine your houseplant leaves. 

4) Chickens, rabbits, and pigs all love banana peels.  Make sure you buy organic bananas if you’re going to feed them to your livestock.  

5) Rub the inside of the banana peel on your face for a natural way to exfoliate and nourish your skin.  

In our cozy living group, everyone loves to show off their homemade breads.  There’s something so soothing about baking your own bread and knowing every ingredient that goes into it. 

How to ripen bananas faster:

Place bananas in a brown paper bag and seal.  If you want to speed up the process further, add another piece of fruit like an apple. 

Creating a Cozy Life Group: 

Since you love to cook, I’m guessing you like all things cozy living. I created a Facebook group called Creating a Cozy Life with over 14,000 like-minded souls.

It’s a group where we share recipes, pictures of things that leave you in awe, and ideas on how to make your life just a little bit more snug.  Join here to be part of the virtual cozy cabin.

Imagine coming home after a long day at work.  You kick off your shoes, light a fire and sink into your cozy chair with a slice of warm, moist banana bread with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar.  

The problems of the day will disappear.   At least, that’s my theory.  Banana bread makes everything better.  Much better. 

It’s time to gather up the ingredients you will need for best banana bread.  You will need:

• All-purpose flour 
• baking soda 
• salt 
• ripe bananas 
• sugar 
• unsalted butter 
• large eggs 
• pecans 
• vanilla 
• confectioners sugar

Here’s the Best Banana Bread Recipe:  

Ingredients for the Best Banana Bread Recipe

2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

4 ripe bananas 

1 cup sugar 

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cool 

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1/2 cup pecans, finely chopped 

Confectioners sugar (for dusting the bread after cooking – optional) 

How to Make Banana Bread:  

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2) Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan. 

3) Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.  

4) Mash two of the bananas with a fork in a separate bowl.  Make sure they still have a bit of texture.  

5) With an electric mixture, mix the remaining two bananas and sugar together for at least 3 minutes in a large bowl.  You want the mixture to be a light and fluffy cream.  

6) Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the banana cream mixture.  Beat well, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  

7) Fold in the dry ingredients, until everything is mixed together (don’t over blend). Add the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.  

8) Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. 

9) Tap the pan on the counter to get the bubbles out of the dough.  

10) Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Rotate the bread regularly to make sure it browns on every side. Bake until the bread is a golden brown.  Insert the toothpick into the middle of the bread and if it comes out clean, it’s ready.  

11) Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes.  When you’re ready to serve the banana bread, toast the bread slices and sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar.  

Yield: 1 loaf

Best Banana Bread Recipe

Print

This isn't your average banana bread, this recipe produces a rich, moist, buttery tasting bread that everyone will love.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 overripe bananas
• 1 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• Confectioners' sugar (for dusting the bread after cooking - optional)

Instructions

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Lightly grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan
3) Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
4) Mash two of the bananas with a fork in a separate bowl.  Make sure they still have a bit of texture.
5) With an electric mixture, mix the remaining two bananas and sugar together for at least 3 minutes in a large bowl.  You want the mixture to be a light and fluffy cream.  
6) Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla to the banana cream mixture.  Beat well, and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  
7) Fold in the dry ingredients, until everything is mixed together (don't over blend). Add the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula.  
8) Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan. 
9) Tap the pan on the counter to get the bubbles out of the dough.  
10) Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  Rotate the bread regularly to make sure it browns on every side. Bake until the bread is a golden brown.  Insert the toothpick into the middle of the bread and if it comes out clean, it's ready.  
11) Let the bread cool for at least 10 minutes.  When you're ready to serve the banana bread, toast the bread slices and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.  

Tips for Making the Banana Nut Bread Recipe:  

1) If a crack forms down the middle of the bread, don’t worry – that’s normal.  

2) You don’t want to cover the bread while it’s cooking because it won’t brown.  

3) You can substitute walnuts for pecans if you prefer.  

4) Check on the banana bread after an hour of baking.  Every oven is different.  

5) Make sure you rotate the bread for even browning.

Can you Freeze Homemade Banana Bread? 

Yes, you can.  If properly stored, banana bread can last 2-3 months in the freezer.  

How long does the simple banana bread recipe last? 

At room temperature, banana bread will last 1-2 days.  If the banana bread is refrigerated, it will last up to one week.  

We’ve reached the end of Best Banana Bread Recipe.  I hope you enjoyed it. 

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Let me know in the comments below how you liked this Best Banana Bread.

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