An easy banana bread recipe that is full of flavour, and super moist. This has to be one of our favourite ways to use up over ripe bananas. You’ll need about four very ripe bananas, plain flour, baking powder, a little mixed spice, sugar and eggs to make this bread. It tastes delicious plain or spread with a little butter.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- It’s quick to prepare.
- Makes a delicious treat for any day of the week.
- It’s the perfect recipe to use up overripe bananas.
- It’s budget friendly.
Step By Step Instructions
This is so easy to make, and you will only need one bowl to make this. Start by mashing the banana in the mixing bowl. Then mix in the melted butter, brown sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla. Next, gradually mix in the flour, baking soda and mixed spice mix until just combined and bake.
FAQ
There are many people who consider it to be a quick bread, due to the fact that it’s dense and made using baking powder to help it rise rather than yeast.
Yet, there are many dense cake recipes like the pound cake and butter cake that use baking powder as a rising agent.
For us, we have always considered banana bread to be a cake rather than a bread since it’s sweet, contains fruit, and usually would not be served with anything savoury. But who cares! Banana bread tastes great no matter what you call it.
Banana bread freezes very well both as a loaf or in slices. Tightly wrap in plastic food wrap or, use freezer bags and don’t forget to label and date before freezing.
To freeze as a loaf
Allow the bread to cool completely before wrapping tightly in two layers plastic food wrap.
To freeze in slices
Slice the cooled bread, then either individually wrap each slice for a quick grab an eat later snack or, stack two or more slices together for sharing.
The bread can be frozen for up to 4 months.
To defrost a whole loaf of banana bread
Remove from the freezer the night before and allow to defrost on the kitchen bench while still covered in food wrap.
To defrost sliced banana bread
Sliced banana bread can be defrosted overnight in the same way as a whole loaf or, the slices can be removed from the freezer several hours before needed.
Depending on how many slices you have bundled together, and the room temperature it could take anywhere from 1 – 2 hours for a single slice or, up to 4 hours (or more) for a pack with two or more slices.
Quick defrost method
If you are in a hurry use the defrost cycle on your microwave oven to partially or completely defrost the bread.
I do this sometimes but only half defrost the bread in the microwave oven and then let the bread stand at room temperature until completely defrosted.
Handy Tip: In a warm climate single slices of easy banana bread can be packed frozen (or partially frozen) in lunch boxes and should be ready to eat by lunch time.
Banana bread can be stored at normal room temperature for a day or two, after that I would recommend that any remaining bread be refrigerated. However, if you live in a climate that is very humid, I would recommend that the bread refrigerated soon after cooling.
Yes, easy banana bread can be made into muffins.
Simply place the easy banana bread batter into lined or greased muffin tins, then bake at 180°C (350°F) until cooked. The cooking time will vary between 15 – 30 minutes and this will depend on the size of muffin tins used. To test if the muffins are cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of a muffin if it comes out clean, they are cooked.
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New Improved Recipe (updated 23/02/2020)
Recipe
Easy Banana Bread
INGREDIENTS
- 440 grams bananas over ripe and mashed - (just over 1 ⅓ cups or 5 large)
- 100 grams butter melted
- 100 grams brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- 1 level teaspoon mixed spice powder
- 250 grams plain flour all purpose flour
- 2 level teaspoons baking soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 13 x 23 cm (5 x 9 inch) loaf pan.
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl, add butter, brown sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla and mixed spice powder mix well with a wooden spoon.
- Add the flour and baking soda, mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, use the back of a spoon even out the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-50 minutes or until cooked. To test if the banana bread is cooked, insert a skewer into the centre of the loaf, if it comes out clean it is cooked.Tip: Check the cake about 30 minutes. If the top of the cake looks like it is going too dark, loosely over the cake with a piece of aluminium foil, this will prevent burning.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the tin of 10 minutes, before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
This recipe was first published November 26, 2018. Updated February 23, 2020 with recipe improvements and new images.
Grandma's House DIY says
Thanks so much for sharing with us at the To Grandma's house we go link party - I'm featuring you at the next party on my blog!
Harriet Britto says
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