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Classic Moist Banana Bread
When the bananas on the counter have gone speckled and heavy, this is what I bake. Melted butter and brown sugar keep the crumb soft for days, and the batter is mixed while the oven heats. I like a thick slice still slightly warm, with a little salted butter on top — or cold the next morning, which might be even better.
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Steps
1.
1.
Heat the Oven and Prep the Pan**
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F. Butter a 23 × 13 cm (9 × 5-inch) loaf pan and line it with a strip of parchment that hangs over the long sides, so you can lift the loaf out later.
2.
Mash the Bananas
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps left. You should have about 350 g — if you are short, make up the difference with a spoonful of yogurt or applesauce rather than stretching the batter thin.
3.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into the bananas until the mixture looks glossy. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and milk, and whisk until even.
4.
Fold in the Dry Ingredients
In a second bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Tip the dry mix into the banana bowl and fold with a spatula just until you no longer see dry flour. A few streaks are fine. Fold in the walnuts if using. Do not beat the batter — that is how you get a tough loaf.
5.
Bake
Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack for 55 to 65 minutes, until the top is deep golden, a crack has opened down the center, and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter. If the top is browning too fast at 45 minutes, tent loosely with foil.
6.
Cool Before Slicing
Let the loaf sit in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift it out onto a wire rack and cool at least 30 minutes more before slicing. The crumb sets as it cools; cutting too soon squishes the center. Serve plain, or with a thin smear of salted butter.
Ingredients
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Why this works
Overripe bananas bring both sweetness and acidity, which is why baking soda — not baking powder — is the lift here. Melted butter coats the flour more gently than creamed butter, and brown sugar holds onto moisture, so the loaf stays soft instead of drying out by day two.
Substitutions
- Milk: Buttermilk or plain yogurt thinned with a splash of water both work in the same 60 ml measure and add a little extra tenderness.
- Walnuts: Swap in 80 g dark chocolate chips, or leave the loaf plain.
- Butter: An equal weight of neutral oil makes a slightly darker, extra-moist crumb if that is what you have.
Storage and reheating
Wrap the cooled loaf tightly and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for 5. Slices freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw on the counter or toast from frozen. A brief warm-up in a 150°C / 300°F oven (8 to 10 minutes, wrapped in foil) brings back the just-baked softness.
Equipment
23 × 13 cm (9 × 5-inch) loaf pan
Parchment paper
Mixing bowls
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Wire cooling rack
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