I recently did a poll on my instagram story asking if there was anyone out there that actually didn’t like banana bread. Can you guess the answer? Out of hundreds of people, not a single person said they didn’t like banana bread! Yup, I guess it didn’t surprise me that much either. But this means you better have a classic banana bread recipe that you absolutely love. And if you don’t, this is the recipe for you! My mom and I have been using this recipe forever and I’m pretty sure my grandma did too! You don’t mess with a classic!
This classic banana bread is slightly sweet, banana-ie, moist and has a soft crumb. It is loaded with crunchy pecans, giving it a somewhat nutty bite and has a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg to spice things up. You can substitute the pecans for your favourite nut or chocolate, whatever your heart desires.
Ingredients
- Overripe bananas
- Granulated sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream
- Eggs
- Pecans
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground nutmeg
- Salt
Banana Bread Variations
The fun part about making banana bread is you can play around a bit by adding your own extras to the bread. Nuts are typically a classic for banana bread; walnuts and pecans are the top choices. But who says you can’t add macadamia nuts or your favourite nut?! Here are some other fun options:
- Coconut flakes
- Chocolate chips
- Citrus rind
- Mixed nuts
- Dried fruit; like apricots
- Fresh pineapple
Use this classic banana bread as a base to make it just how you and your family love. Happy baking!
Banana Bread Tips
It always surprises me when people use fresh yellow bananas to make their bread. Sorry, but it makes me cringe at the thought. There are only a few tricks to making bread like this – a bread that is perfectly moist, soft and flavourful. And that’s to use the ripest, blackest bananas you have! Here are some good tips:
- Use black, overripe bananas. If they are yellow don’t even think about it!
- Keep ripe, black bananas in the freezer and defrost when ready to bake.
- Don’t overmash your bananas. It’s nice to have little banana pockets within the bread.
- Don’t overmix your batter. This will lead to dense, heavy bread. Just mix the batter until combined!
- Use full fat sour cream or plain good quality yogurt. This gives the bread lots of moisture and flavour.
- Go the extra mile and toast the nuts, it will give you a richer nuttier flavour.
How To Make Classic Banana Bread
Step One: In a large bowl combine mashed bananas, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and eggs. Mix by hand just until the ingredients are combined. In a separate bowl, add your dry ingredients and whisk together. Add to the banana mixture, and mix until just combined. Then add toasted pecans and fold in.
Step Two: Pour batter into loaf pan and bake until the middle has completely set.
Classic Banana Bread
This classic banana bread is quick, and easy to make. It’s a nutty, moist bread full of bananas with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 large overripe bananas (or 4 small bananas), lightly mashed
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream, full fat or plain yogurt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ËšF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine mashed bananas, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and eggs. Mix by hand just until ingredients are combined (don’t overmix).
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to combine. Add to the banana mixture, and mix until just combined (don’t overmix, it’s okay if you see a few lumps). Add toasted pecans and fold in.
- Pour batter into loaf pan.
- Bake for approx. 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
- Let bread cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Bread will last 3-4 days stored in an airtight container or freeze for up to a month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 of 12
- Calories: 428
- Sugar: 16.7g
- Sodium: 173mg
- Fat: 15.5g
- Saturated Fat: 3.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 65.2g
- Fiber: 3.5g
- Protein: 8.7g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
FAQ’s
Overripe bananas are ideal for baking banana bread! They are sweeter, have a stronger flavor and incorporate into the batter better than underripe bananas. When bananas start turning brown or are almost completely brown, then they are at the ideal time to bake with. The riper the banana, the better! If the banana is still green or mostly yellow with no spots, it is not ready to use for banana bread. Throw browning bananas into the freezer to preserve them and use when ready to bake bread.
The most common issue for banana bread that is flat is due to expired leavening agents, like baking powder and baking soda. It’s a good idea to check your baking powder and soda every year or so, so you don’t run into any issues. Another reason your banana bread may have fallen or didn’t rise is because the bread is underbaked, not giving it enough time to cook all the way through.
There are two main reasons for dense banana bread. One is using too many bananas in the recipe and the other is overmixing. Overmixing the batter can cause the glutens to overdevelop, make sure to mix your batter just until combined.
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I love hearing from you! Leave a comment with any questions or how your recipe turned out (your email address will not be published)!
So moist and light! I added the cinnamon and nutmeg (noted as optional) because I love the flavours and it was delicious! A perfect Sunday afternoon treat!
Thanks for the review Chistine, this is a family recipe and one of my go-to recipes! Happy to know you are enjoying it too! 🙂