Recipes: Authentic Banana Bread from Scratch

Banana bread is more than a sweet quick bread—it’s an edible snapshot of American ingenuity. At the height of the Great Depression, thrifty home bakers refused to waste overripe bananas and, armed with newly affordable baking powder and soda, transformed them into moist, fragrant loaves. That practical spirit produced a comfort‑food icon that still fills kitchens with nostalgic aroma nearly a century later.

The earliest printed banana bread appeared in a 1933 Pillsbury booklet, but its popularity exploded after Chiquita showcased the recipe in the 1950 recipe pamphlet that landed in countless homes. Through wartime rationing, 1950s convenience cooking, and the decadent add‑ins of later decades, the core formula never changed: mashed ripe bananas, a touch of fat, flour, sugar, and a chemical leavener.

In 2020 the humble loaf experienced a renaissance as lockdown bakers posted millions of golden slices across social media; BBC even reported it was the most‑searched recipe of the year. Whether you keep it classic or load it with nuts and chocolate chips, banana bread remains a delicious solution for those speckled bananas on the counter—and a reminder that simple ingredients can yield extraordinary comfort.

Ingredients (1 loaf, about 10–12 slices)

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (≈ 1½ cups)

• 2 cups all‑purpose flour

• ¾ cup sugar (white or part brown for extra moisture)

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened – or ½ cup neutral oil

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

• ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)

• ½ cup semi‑sweet chocolate chips (optional)

• ½–1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep Pan & Oven

   • Pre‑heat oven to 350 °F / 175 °C.

   • Grease a 9 × 5‑in loaf pan • or line with parchment leaving overhang for easy lift‑out.

2. Mash Bananas

   • Peel and place bananas in a medium bowl.

   • Mash with a fork until mostly smooth • a few small lumps are fine for texture.

3. Cream Butter & Sugar

   • In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar 2 min until light and fluffy.

     • Using oil? → whisk oil and sugar just until blended—no creaming needed.

   • Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.

   • Stir in vanilla and mashed bananas • mixture may look curdled—totally normal.

4. Combine Dry Ingredients

   • In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using).

   • This evenly disperses leavener and prevents clumps.

5. Fold Batter Together

   • Tip dry mix into wet bowl.

   • With a spatula, fold just until no dry streaks remain.

     • Over‑mixing = tough loaf • a few tiny lumps are okay.

6. Add Optional Mix‑Ins

   • Sprinkle nuts and/or chocolate chips over batter.

   • Fold gently to distribute without deflating.

7. Fill Pan & Bake

   • Scrape batter into prepared pan • level top with spatula.

   • Bake on center rack 55–65 min.

     • Start checking at 50 min; loaf is done when a tester comes out clean or with a crumb or two.

     • If browning too quickly, tent with foil last 10 min.

8. Cool Properly

   • Set pan on a rack • cool 10 min.

   • Loosen edges with a knife • lift or turn loaf out onto rack.

   • Cool completely (≈ 1 h) before slicing for neat pieces.

9. Slice & Enjoy

   • Use a serrated knife • saw gently for even slices.

   • Serve plain, buttered, or toasted—with coffee, tea, or cold milk.

Serving and Tips

Enjoy banana bread plain, toasted with a pat of butter, or slathered with cream cheese for a coffee‑shop twist. Slightly stale slices make stellar French toast—dip in egg custard and griddle to golden perfection. Cooled, wrapped bread keeps four days at room temp; freeze individual slices for up to three months and reheat in the toaster for an instant treat.

Recipe Card – Classic Banana Bread

Yield	1 loaf (10–12 slices)
Prep Time	15 min
Bake Time	55–65 min
Total Time	~1 h 15 min

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed

• 2 cups all‑purpose flour

• ¾ cup sugar

• ½ cup unsalted butter (or ½ cup oil)

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla (opt.)

• ½ cup walnuts (opt.)

• ½ cup chocolate chips (opt.)

• ½ tsp cinnamon (opt.)

Quick Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F; grease 9 × 5 in pan.

2. Cream butter & sugar; beat in eggs, bananas, vanilla.

3. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt (plus cinnamon) separately.

4. Fold dry into wet just to combine.

5. Stir in nuts/chocolate.

6. Bake ~60 min until tester is clean.

7. Cool 10 min in pan, then on rack. Slice & enjoy!

Nutrition (per 1/12 loaf slice, no add‑ins)

• Calories: ≈ 230 kcal

• Carbs: 35 g

• Protein: 4 g

• Fat: 9 g

• Sodium: ≈ 230 mg

Bake, slice, and savor a loaf that has comforted generations—from Depression‑era kitchens to today’s home bakers seeking a sweet, banana‑scented hug. 🍌