Classic banana bread, made better! This easy recipe is perfectly sweet, tender, and loaded with banana flavor.
There’s nothing quite like a slice of classic banana bread, especially when it’s perfectly moist, rich in flavor, and easy to make. This recipe takes everything you love about banana bread and makes it even better—think just the right sweetness, a tender crumb, and a touch of vanilla for extra warmth. Whether you’re enjoying it with your morning coffee or as a cozy afternoon treat, this banana bread is sure to become a favorite. Plus, with a few simple variations, you can make it your own every time!
Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread Recipe
- Moist and flavorful. With a blend of butter and oil, this banana bread is incredibly moist and stays that way for days.
- Simple ingredients. This recipe uses pantry staples you likely have on hand, so you can whip it up anytime you have overripe bananas ready for baking.
- Easy to customize. With simple add-ins like chocolate chips, nuts, or spices, you can make it your own.
- Great for any time of day. Enjoy a slice for breakfast, as a snack, or as a dessert—it’s delicious any time!
What You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-purpose flour – Measure by weight for best results. If you don’t have a digital kitchen scale, then use the spoon and sweep method to measure. Learn more: How to Measure Flour
- Baking soda – This, of course, helps the bread rise, and it combines with the acidic yogurt to provide a fluffier texture.
- Salt – Just the small amount here helps balance and deepen the flavors. I almost always bake with plain table salt. Learn more: Types of Salt in Baking
- Unsalted butter – This supplies a rich flavor and a tender crumb. After melting it, let it cool slightly before mixing.
- Vegetable oil – The combination of butter and oil here means you get both flavor and added moisture, making it last longer. You can substitute another neutral oil like canola oil or grapeseed oil.
- Brown sugar – In addition to the added hint of molasses flavor, brown sugar also provides moisture. Firmly pack in the measuring cup or measure by weight, which is my preferred method. If yours has hardened, see my tips for how to soften brown sugar.
- Granulated sugar – This adds not only sweetness but also structure and browning.
- Eggs – Let these come to room temperature for easier, smoother mixing. I recommend baking with large eggs.
- Yogurt – Plain yogurt adds a subtle tang while keeping the bread tender. Combining it with baking soda gives this bread its light, fluffy texture. You can use sour cream instead, if that’s what you have.
- Vanilla extract – Use either store-bought or homemade vanilla extract to complement the banana flavor.
- Bananas – The star of the show! They provide natural sweetness, moisture, and banana flavor while contributing to the bread’s texture. Mash them well with a fork or a potato masher.
How to Make Banana Bread
- Prepare for baking. Heat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan or line it with parchment paper and grease.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Whisk together the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Next, mix in the eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Finally, stir in the mashed bananas.
- Finish mixing. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, taking care not to over-mix.
- Bake. Transfer the batter to the pan, and bake 60-70 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
- Cool. Place the pan on a wire rack, and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.
Why Bake at 325°F?
Baking this banana bread at 325°F allows it to bake more evenly and stay moist. The lower temperature helps the bread develop a tender, soft crumb without over-browning the outside before the center is fully cooked. This gentle bake also lets the flavors of the bananas and sugars meld beautifully, giving a richer taste and texture throughout.
Tips for Success
- Use very ripe bananas. The riper, the better! Bananas with lots of brown spots or even completely brown skins will be sweeter, more flavorful, and softer, making them perfect for baking. If you need to rush the ripening process, see my tips for how to ripen bananas.
- Don’t over-mix. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until combined. Over-mixing can make the bread dense and tough. A few small lumps in the batter are okay!
- Check your pan’s size. Make sure the dimensions are 9″ x 5″. Some smaller pans are also considered to be standard loaf pans, but you’ll need this larger size to accommodate the rise of this bread.
- Test for doneness. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it’s done. If the top browns too quickly, tent it with foil for the last 10-15 minutes.
Variations
- Add chocolate chips. Fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips for a sweet addition. Mini chocolate chips work well for even distribution!
- Make it nutty. Stir in 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped nuts like walnuts, pecans, or almonds for added texture and flavor.
- Spice it up. Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger, or a dash of allspice to the dry ingredients. This warms up the flavor and is especially appealing during cooler months.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, or place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 2-3 days at room temperature.
- Refrigerator: Storing your bread in the refrigerator will extend its shelf life but has a tendency to make it dry. If you do decide to refrigerate the bread, wrap it very well and refrigerate it for up to 5-7 days. To enjoy, warm up a slice in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften it.
- Freezer: Banana bread freezes beautifully! Wrap individual slices or the entire loaf in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or microwave a slice directly from frozen for a quick treat.
More Banana Bread Recipes
Get the Recipe:
Banana Bread
Yield
10 to 12 servings
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
This classic banana bread is perfectly moist, tender, and packed with rich banana flavor—a simple, delicious treat for any time of day.
Ingredients
- 1 & 3/4 cups (210g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup (59ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (150g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) plain yogurt, at room temperature (or sour cream)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 & 1/2 cups or 340g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan. Alternatively, line it with parchment paper and lightly grease the lining and any exposed parts of the inside of the pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla extract, and whisk until well combined.
- Stir in the mashed bananas until evenly incorporated.
- Gently fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. (Be careful not to over-mix the batter; a few lumps are fine.)
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and place it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Store tightly wrapped in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
For tips, step-by-step photos, and extra details, be sure to read the full post above before starting. It’s packed with helpful info to answer common questions!
Recommended Products
Bake or Break is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
4 Comments on “Banana Bread”
Would have written this review 5 minutes ago, but I got caught up with removing every “other” Banana Bread recipe from my collection. . Yesterday I baked Jennifer’s recipe for a much needed comfort breakfast this morning. And gosh, were we thrilled. The combination of butter plus a little oil was magic. So much flavor, and then that added moisture that distributes from the oil. I always wait 1 day before I eat a cake that has oil as part of the ingredients, giving time for the oil to create moist and tender qualities. Additionally, I think that light brown sugar and a little granulated sugar allowed for more banana flavor than some recipes that call for only “dark” brown sugar. I could go on and on, but as Jenn mentions, this is a simple recipe. Simple, and superb! I base my reviews on recipes where I follow “weights”…I love the consistency knowing that this will turn out identical, each time I will bake. And this will be baked regularly. Thank so much for this one! OH, how could I forget this….the “325° temperature HUGELY improved the outcome….this Banana Bread had more eye appeal than any I’ve ever made.
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed this banana bread, Jeff! Quinn is not the biggest fan of banana bread, and even he loves this one, so it’s definitely my go-to recipe as well.
What a fabulous recipe! I have been making a different one for years and it always winds up sinking and being a little too wet in the middle. This one came out PERFECTLY – I’m eating some right now with my second cup of coffee. I added chocolate and cinnamon chips along with some chopped pecans – loving it. As Jeff mentioned in his review, the lower baking time made a huge difference and the end result was beautifully browned and evenly baked throughout. This is now my go-to banana bread recipe! Thanks so much!
Hi, Vicki! I’m glad this recipe worked so well for you! I love your addition of flavors. It’s a fun recipe for tweaking like that!