Description
This simple banana bread recipe yields a moist and flavorful loaf perfect for breakfast or a snack. Made with ripe bananas, classic spices, and easy-to-find ingredients, it’s a delightful homemade treat that is straightforward to prepare and bake.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 2-4 very ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas or 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups mashed)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it reaches the correct temperature for baking the banana bread evenly.
- Prepare Loaf Pan: Grease a loaf pan thoroughly using butter, oil, or a non-stick spray like Pam to prevent the bread from sticking.
- Combine Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, blend the melted butter with granulated sugar until well combined and smooth, forming the base of the batter.
- Add and Mash Bananas: Peel and mash the ripe bananas, then mix them into the butter and sugar mixture until evenly incorporated.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla: Crack in the egg and add vanilla extract, stirring thoroughly to combine all wet ingredients together into a smooth batter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour into the banana mixture. Stir gently just until the ingredients are combined to avoid overmixing.
- Pour Batter into Pan: Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly for uniform baking.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes. Since oven temperatures can vary, check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, the bread is ready. Some ovens may require baking times between 30 to 55 minutes.
- Cool: Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan before slicing to ensure clean cuts and preserve the bread’s texture.
Notes
- I prefer using 3 medium bananas, yielding about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups of mashed bananas for perfect moisture and flavor balance.
- If you don’t have baking soda on hand, consider trying a banana bread recipe that omits it as an alternative.
- Baking times vary depending on oven type; always use the toothpick test for accurate doneness.
- Letting the bread cool completely before slicing will help maintain its shape and avoid crumbling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (1/8 of a loaf)
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 210mg
- Fat: 6g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
