American Banana Bread
Why this recipe works
- Natural banana sweetness: Very ripe bananas bring moisture, fruitiness and sweetness without needing a heavily flavoured batter.
- Straightforward method: The batter uses simple mixing steps: cream the butter and sugar, add the wet ingredients, then fold in the dry ingredients.
- Keeps well: The loaf stores neatly, slices cleanly once cooled and can be frozen in portions for later.
Get the most out of this recipe
Ingredient notes
- Use very ripe bananas: Bananas with plenty of brown speckles give the strongest flavour and help keep the crumb moist.
- Mash thoroughly: A smooth mash distributes the banana evenly through the batter, giving a more consistent texture.
- Keep the spice gentle: Cinnamon should support the banana rather than dominate it; five spice can be used for a warmer variation.
Texture tips
- Fold briefly: Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears; overworking the batter can make the loaf dense.
- Watch the final bake: Check near the end of the baking time and cover loosely with foil if the top browns before the centre is done.
- Cool before slicing: Letting the loaf cool completely helps the crumb set, giving cleaner, neater slices.
Make-ahead tips
- Bake ahead: Banana bread is well suited to making in advance, as the loaf holds its moisture when stored airtight.
- Freeze in slices: Slice the cooled loaf, wrap well and freeze so individual portions can be thawed as needed.
- Serve at room temperature: For the best texture, let chilled or thawed slices come back to room temperature before serving.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 175°C (345°F). Grease a loaf pan with a little of the butter.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Peel the bananas and mash them well, then mix into the bowl. The mixture may look slightly curdled, which is fine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and fine sea salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until no dry patches remain.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing. Serve in thick slices as a simple dessert.
Recipe notes
Tips
- Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown speckles for the moistest crumb and strongest banana flavour.
- If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover the loaf with foil for the final 15 minutes of baking.
- For neat slices, let the loaf cool completely before cutting.
Substitutions
- Replace Vanilla extract with Vanilla bean paste for a more intense vanilla flavour.
- Replace Ground cinnamon with Chinese five spice powder for a warmer, spiced twist.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 4 days
- Store in an airtight container. For the best texture, bring to room temperature before serving; freeze sliced, well wrapped, for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 10 servings
- Total time: 1h 20min (15min active)
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cuisine: American
-
Allergens:
Eggs Gluten Milk Wheat
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