If there is one thing I know how to make it’s banana bread. I think I was about 4 or 5 the first time I can remember making with my mom. We were at the kitchen table and she had gotten out a book that had recipes in it, something I wasn’t familiar with at the time.
This magical book contained 1 recipe for each letter of the alphabet, and under the letter “B” was banana bread. This is the recipe from that kid’s cookbook my mom got me when I was very young. My entire family still uses this recipe, and I tried to find something more “sophisticated” when I was in college, but this is hands down the best banana bread recipe I have found. Why fix something if it’s not broken right?
*Just a quick note: This is a banana bread recipe, but I make it in a muffin tin because if I don’t, half the loaf will go bad before I get to it. Storage directions will be at the end of this post. If you are doing this as well, just cut the cooking time in the directions about in half.*
This recipe makes 1 loaf or 12 standard sized muffins.
You will need:
3/4 cup sugar or sweetener, either will work; 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3; 3/4 cup vegetable oil; 2 eggs; 2 cups all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 2 teaspoons vanilla; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup chopped nuts if you like them in your banana bread. I left the nuts out of this recipe, but it is just as good with them in there.
First we peel and then mash the bananas in a medium to large size mixing bowl.
I just use a potato masher here, but you can use a fork or whatever you have on hand.
After the bananas are mashed well, add the eggs and mix them with the bananas. I find it’s just easier to mix the eggs first.
Add the rest of the wet ingredients.
After the wet ingredients are all mixed, add the sugar and mix well.
Then add the baking soda and baking powder.
Add the vanilla and flour last. This is where you add the nuts if you are putting them in. Mix, making sure everything is combined well.
I find that the finished batter texture is unique to banana bread and the easiest way to describe it was to show you, so once you have mixed it up, check the texture against the below video to make sure you have it right.
Once the batter is ready to go, get your loaf pan or muffin tin ready by spraying it with cooking spray. You will also need something to scoop the batter into the muffin tin. I use this old ice cream scoop. It was $2.50 at the local antique place and worth every penny.
Fill up the muffin tin with 1 scoop, 1/4 cup-ish per cup in tin.
Once the tin or loaf pan in full, tap it gently to even out the batter.
If you are using a muffin tin, the cooking time will be cut about in half, so make sure to take that into account when baking, so about 20-30 minutes total for this batch. This is about 15 minutes into baking time. The edges are starting to brown really well, but the middle wasn’t quite ready, so I left them in for another 5 minutes or so.
After testing the bread with my finger and then a knife, it came out clean, they came out of the oven.
Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
I like to eat my banana bread warm with a bit of cream cheese. These are amazing and will keep well covered on the counter for about 5-7 days, or you can do what I do and put them in a freezer bag and freeze them for up to a year.
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