• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Barbara Bakes™
  • Home
  • About
  • Info
  • Contact
  • Press
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • Breads
  • Breakfast
  • Dessert
    • Cakes
    • Cookies
    • Ice Cream
    • Pastry
    • All Desserts »
  • Main Dishes
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Pork
    • Pasta
    • Meatless
    • All Main Dishes »
  • Side Dishes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipes
  • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Home
    • About
    • Recipes
    • Baking Tips
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Breads » Quick Breads

    Easy Banana Bread

    Published by Melissa on March 13, 2021 | Updated June 10, 2022 | 22 Comments

    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    Jump to Recipe

    This is the best Easy Banana Bread Recipe–it’s easy to customize with the ingredients you have and it always turns out moist, tender, and just sweet enough. 

    slices of easy banana bread with nuts on a wire rack

    While there are dozens of banana breads out there, this might just be the last banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. It’s incredibly reliable, and my family has been making it since 1993. We first discovered it in Cooking Light magazine. 

    In fact, this is one of my husband’s favorite recipes to make. It’s so forgiving that he never measures the bananas and substitutes whatever we have on hand. He usually makes some mini loaves with Craisins for me, one with walnuts for himself, and one with both craisins and nuts for the kids. Of course, he always generously sprinkles the tops with Sugar in the Raw.

    Update: I’ve updated this post with new tips, tricks and photos so your family can enjoy this easy banana bread recipe as much as mine!

    pinterest button for easy banana bread

    How to Make the Best Easy Banana Bread

    Before you get started baking this fast and easy recipe, check your bananas. It’s best to bake with very ripe bananas, as they’re softer, easier to mix, and naturally sweeter. The peels should have plenty of brown on them and the fruit should be soft and easily mashable with a fork. 

    Your grocery store may have a clearance rack for produce which will likely have brown bananas on it. 

    ingredients to mix batter for easy banana bread and batter in a metal bowl

    In addition, make sure that all of your ingredients (yogurt, margarine, and eggs) are at room temperature. This will help the batter come together easily with no big lumps.  

    When mixing the batter, only stir until it just comes together. A few lumps will be visible, this is totally normal and actually a good sign. Overmixing can cause flat, dense, and chewy banana bread. 

    steps to mix banana bread batter in a mixing bowl

    Then, when you pour the batter into your loaf pan, I recommend sprinkling the top with extra nuts and sugar. This adds a nice crunchy and sweet top crust to the bread that everyone loves.

    two loaf pans with banana bread batter

    Ingredient Swaps and Substitutions

    This banana bread recipe is the most forgiving recipe on the planet. 

    Have four super ripe bananas? Throw them in! 

    Have yogurt instead of sour cream? That works! We’ve even used flavored yogurt before, it’s delicious. 

    Want to use a muffin or bundt pan? Go for it! And of course you can’t go wrong with a streusel topping.

    Banana bread baked in a bundt pan, loaf pans and as muffins

    Serving Suggestions 

    Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan after baking. This allows it to finish cooking all the way through. 

    Then you can let it cool the rest of the way directly on a wire rack. If you can’t wait for it to cool fully, you can serve it warm. Just note that the loaf will not cut cleanly if still hot. 

    collage of images of sliced homemade banana bread

    Mix-Ins for Banana Bread

    As I said, this recipe is very easy to mix and match. You can swap the walnuts with pecans or another nut or add your favorite crunchy additions. Some of my favorite banana bread mix-ins include:

    • Craisins or other small pieces of dried fruit
    • Other nuts, including walnuts, pistachios or hazelnuts
    • Chocolate chips for a decadent twist
    slices of banana bread with nuts

    How to Know When Your Bread is Done

    There are a few helpful tips from King Arthur Flour to ensure your banana bread bakes all the way through. Because there’s nothing worse than cutting into your freshly baked loaf to find a gooey, raw center!

    1. Make sure your oven is fully preheated. 
    2. If you have one, use an instant-read thermometer to know for certain that your bread is done baking. The bread will register 200 to 205°F in the center when it’s fully cooked. Test in several spots for extra insurance. 
    3. If you don’t have an instant-read thermometer, test the center of the bread several times with a thin serrated knife rather than a cake tester or toothpick. If you see any wet batter or crumbs, continue baking. 

    There are more tips on King Arthur Flour on how to avoid undercooking your banana bread.

    Storage Suggestions

    Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days. For longer storage, wrap the loaves tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and freeze for up to six months. 

    When you’re ready to serve, let the loaves thaw on the counter for a few hours. If you like to serve warm bread, you can toast slices under the broiler or in a toaster oven. Or you can gently warm them in the microwave in 10-second increments until hot. 

    slices of easy banana bread with nuts on a wire rack

    More Quick Bread Recipes

    Try these other favorite sweet bread recipes when your loaf pan is free:

    • Chunky Monkey Banana Bread Snacking Cake adds a delicious peanut twist to classic banana bread for a treat loved by all ages. 
    • Chocolate Chocolate Chip Bread because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate (even for breakfast)!
    • Cinnamon Swirl Rhubarb Bread from That Skinny Chick can Bake is a sweet and tart quick bread with bright swirls of tangy rhubarb.
    slices of banana bread with nuts
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Easy Banana Bread

    This is the best easy banana bread recipe you need to use your extra ripe bananas, with creamy yogurt and your favorite nutty or sweet mix-ins. 
    Course: Breads
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 1 loaf
    Calories: 286kcal
    Author: Barbara Bakes LLC
    Prevent your screen from going to sleep

    Equipment

    • OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Stainless-Steel Mixing Bowl Set, White
    • USA Pan Bakeware Aluminized Steel 1 Pound Loaf Pan
    • OXO Good Grips Cooling Rack

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup mashed very ripe banana about 3 small
    • ½ cup sugar
    • ½ cup plain nonfat yogurt we usually use low-fat sour cream
    • ¼ cup margarine melted (we usually use butter)
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans toasted (we usually add walnuts and/or Craisins, then sprinkle the tops with sugar in the raw)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat an 8 ½ x 4 ½ x 3-inch loaf pan with baking spray and dust with flour. 
    • Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. 
    • In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Add the nuts and stir just until moistened.
    • Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with sugar and more chopped nuts if you like. 
    • Bake for 45 minute to 1 hour, or until the center registers between 200°F and 205°F on an instant read thermometer, a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Cool for 10 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Then remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. 

    Notes

    *Note: Bake mini loaves for 35 minutes or muffins for 18 minutes.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 286kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 236mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g
    Pin
    Share
    Tweet
    « Coconut Cream Cupcakes with Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
    Air Fryer Eggplant Pizzas »
    about us

    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      • Pinterest
      • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Carol

      March 15, 2021 at 8:13 am

      I’m going to have to hide some bananas from the next bunch I buy so I can try this recipe. It looks so delicious, Barbara!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        March 15, 2021 at 9:26 am

        Thanks Carol – hope you love it!

        Reply
    2. Benita

      May 04, 2020 at 1:21 pm

      Thank you for posting this recipe! It has a lovely texture (light and not heavy or gummy), while using the least amount of sugar and butter/margarine I have come across in a banana bread recipe. Like you, I used sour cream, but did not add nuts/raisins/chocolate chips, as I am a banana bread purist. This will be my standard recipe going forward.

      My question is: what size bundt pan did you use in the photo? You mentioned “half size”, but what does that mean in terms of volume (number of cups?)?

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        May 04, 2020 at 9:53 pm

        Thanks Benita – so nice to hear you love it as much as we do. It’s a 6 cup bundt pan. Here’s an affiliate link https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IOYJ186/?ref=exp_pressurecookingtoday_dp_vv_d

        Reply
    3. Janice

      January 15, 2017 at 6:39 am

      Do you have a calorie and carb count on this recipe? Sounds good but need that info please. Thank you?

      Reply
    4. Waverly

      December 14, 2015 at 5:22 pm

      This is exactly what I was looking for! A light-in-texture banana bread recipe to use up the predominantly black overripe bananas sitting on my counter. I ended up using 2.5 bananas, low fat sour cream as suggested, and I used half regular flour half almond flour. Cooked in oversize muffin pan for 25 minutes. These were PERFECT.

      Reply
      • Waverly

        January 04, 2016 at 7:30 pm

        Tonight I used this recipe to make pumpkin bread. Win!

        Reply
    5. Holly Salisbury

      March 23, 2014 at 9:38 am

      Thank you, thank you a million times. I, too, have been making this bread since I found it in a Cooking Light Jul/Aug, 1994 issue and it is the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted, let alone made. I keep temporarily losing the magazine page and then finding it again; but it is so stained and ragged after 20 years that I can hardly read it. I’ve been searching for the recipe since the advent of Pinterest where I now store my favorite recipes and had been unable to find it. So thank you again — you just made my day! You made it even more by the one small change in the recipe. Mine says 1 egg and 1 egg white — glad to know you can use 2 eggs instead.

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        March 23, 2014 at 2:35 pm

        Thanks Holly – your comment made my day. I have magazine pages from years ago too. I recently made a variation of this muffin that you’ll want to try too. https://www.barbarabakes.com/2014/02/chunky-monkey-banana-muffins/

        Reply
    6. sara

      March 16, 2014 at 6:33 pm

      I just made these. Quite tasty. I did substitute stevia for the sugar and oat flour for the white flour. My only question is this-is there a way to make these and keep them from sinking in once they are out of the oven? Mine flattened right out. (unless its because of my substitutions?) Thanks for the advice!

      Reply
      • Barbara Schieving

        March 16, 2014 at 9:24 pm

        Hi Sara – Mine never sink after they’re out of the oven. It was probably your substitutions or undercooking will cause them to fall too. Glad they were still tasty.

        Reply
    7. The Double Dipped Life

      June 21, 2010 at 4:02 pm

      This looks like a great recipe for Banana Bread too! 🙂 http://doubledippedlife.blogspot.com/2009/10/banana-bread.html

      Reply
    8. jennifer

      May 29, 2008 at 3:19 am

      wow. those looks crazy amazing!

      jennifer

      Reply
    9. Jj

      May 16, 2008 at 1:01 pm

      These sound great, and thanks for mentioning the use of sour cream instead of yogurt, as I don’t always have yogurt on hand.

      Reply
    10. RecipeGirl

      May 10, 2008 at 5:00 am

      This is great to know… we are frequent banana bread makers too. My son loves to have it for breakfast, and I’d much rather make something homemade than see him eat Cinnamon Toast Crunch or the like. I love the idea of trying different flavored yogurts too. Bookmarked!

      Reply
    11. Barbara Bakes

      May 10, 2008 at 2:17 am

      Dana – I never thought of it in terms of years – now I feel old! Love your blog!

      Reply
    12. Dana McCauley

      May 09, 2008 at 5:22 pm

      15 years is a big commitment to a recipe – it must be great1

      Reply
    13. Jenny

      May 08, 2008 at 2:18 am

      Oh Barbara, these look terrific. How nice to know it’s a healthier version of banana bread! Mine has a zillion calories for sure.

      Beautiful pics!! Thanks again for the award!

      Reply
    14. HoneyB

      May 06, 2008 at 10:52 pm

      I love cooking light recipes! Thanks!

      Reply
    15. Priscilla

      May 06, 2008 at 5:39 pm

      Yum…these look delicious! I’ll be trying these and let you know how they turn out. They yogurt in them sounds extra good.

      Reply
    16. Barbara Bakes

      May 06, 2008 at 5:36 pm

      Thanks Augustina – how fun that you have saved it all these years too! It’s not on the Cooking Light website.

      Reply
    17. Augustina

      May 06, 2008 at 5:23 pm

      I actually still have the copy for this particular Cooking Light recipe. I like this banana bread recipe too. Yours looks so delicious!

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Melissa and Barbara smiling

    Baking made easy! Sharing fabulous recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, breads and more. Barbara Bakes (and Melissa too!) Recipes from both of our kitchens to yours.

    Learn More »

    Popular Posts

    sliced snickerdoodle bread with cinnamon chips backed by two uncut loaves

    Snickerdoodle Bread with Cinnamon Chips

    A sweet, moist, dense key lime pound cake drizzled with a tart key lime glaze. A delicious Southern twist to a traditional pound cake.

    Key Lime Pound Cake

    meat and beans sandwiched between two tacos covered in salsa, cheese, tomatoes, green onions, and a dollop of sour cream

    Mexican Pizza

    Featured Image for post Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts

    Old Fashioned Buttermilk Donuts

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    SEEN ON

    as seen on promo graphic

    About

    • Home
    • About
    • Contact
    • Press

    Browse

    • Recipe Index
    • Popular
    • Baking Tips
    • Travel

    Subscribe

    • Newsletter
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    As an Amazon affiliate, and affiliate with other businesses, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 barbarabakes.com. All rights reserved. DISCLOSURE - PRIVACY POLICY.