A Classic Banana Bread that is moist and tender using very ripe bananas. This recipe is forgiving with plenty of substitutions and does not require a mixer!
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Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Bananas: Use the ripest bananas only-those that have gone so soft and have plenty of brown or black spots on the peel. They add sweetness, moisture, and flavor for the best banana bread.
- Milk + vinegar (or lemon juice): This combination makes clabbered milk or essentially buttermilk in a pinch. Sour cream and plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or reduced) work just as well.
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute up to 50% with white whole wheat flour or make it gluten-free with almond flour.
- Oil: I used melted coconut oil in this recipe. You can substitute 1:1 for other fats like canola oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter.
- Turbinado sugar: An optional ingredient, but adds texture and a slight crunch. You can also use (as a mix-in or topping) chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, or spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
How to make this recipe
Prep and organize
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat it to 350° F (177° C).
- Grease an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper with two opposite sides that overhang.
- Measure the ingredients accurately. Use a kitchen scale, if available.
- Bring the eggs to room temperature.
Step 1: Combine ¼ cup milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar in a bowl to make clabbered milk. Let the mixture sit for 5 to 10 minutes until thick and curdled.
Step 2: Prepare the dry ingredients by mixing 1¾ cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt (use half for table salt) in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: In a large bowl, mash 3 to 4 overripe bananas with a fork.
Step 4: Add ¾ cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, ½ cup oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and clabbered milk (milk+vinegar mixture). Whisk the wet ingredients until combined.
Step 5: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, mix until just combined or no more flour is visible. Do not overmix. If you're adding extras, fold them in at this point.
Step 6: Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out.
Step 7: Sprinkle a generous amount of turbinado sugar on top.
Step 8: Bake for 55 to 60 minutes until the top is browned and slightly domed with the inside peeking through. When you insert a toothpick or thin-bladed knife in the center, it should come out with a few crumbs.
Let the banana bread cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Enjoy it warm with some butter.
You may also like M&M cookies, Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, or Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies.
Recipe FAQs
Banana ripeness is a crucial factor to consider. Overripe bananas make the best banana bread, with mostly brown or black peel and a soft and squishy inside. Buttermilk or clabbered milk makes them tender and lighter.
Store bananas in a paper bag in a warm area of your kitchen. The ethylene gas they emit is contained, speeding up the ripening process.
You can also freeze your overripe bananas and have them available when ready to bake.
Absolutely! You can freeze it for up to 3 months. Wrap it completely to preserve its flavor and texture. Let it thaw in the fridge or on the counter for a few hours without unwrapping.
I used a standard 8 ½ x 4 ½-inch metal loaf pan. You can use a larger loaf pan, like a 9x5-inch; the top will be flat and baking time will be reduced. A glass pan will take longer to bake.
Other bread and pastries you may like
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📖 Recipe
Classic Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk (see note)
- 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour (see note)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt use half for table salt
- 1½ cups mashed bananas 3-4 overripe bananas
- ¾ cup brown sugar light or dark
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup oil (see note)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 teaspoons Turbinado sugar (see note)
Instructions
- Combine milk and vinegar in a bowl. Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes until thick and curdled.
- Prepare the dry ingredients by mixing flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set it aside.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas with a fork.
- Add brown sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, and clabbered milk (milk+vinegar mixture). Whisk until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, mix until just combined or no more flour is visible. Do not overmix. If you're adding extras, fold them in at this point.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth it out.
- Sprinkle a good amount of turbinado sugar on top.
- Bake in a preheated oven of 350° F (177° C) for 55 to 60 minutes until the top is browned and slightly domed with the inside peeking through. When you insert a toothpick or thin-bladed knife in the center, it should come out with a few crumbs.
- Let it cool for 15 minutes in the pan. Enjoy it warm with some butter.
Notes
- Milk + vinegar (or lemon juice): This combination makes clabbered milk or essentially buttermilk in a pinch. Sour cream and plain Greek yogurt (full-fat or reduced) work just as well.
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute up to 50% with white whole wheat flour or make it gluten-free with almond flour.
- Oil: I used melted coconut oil in this recipe. You can substitute 1:1 for other fats like canola oil, vegetable oil, or melted butter.
- Turbinado sugar: An optional ingredient, but adds texture and a slight crunch. You can also use (as a mix-in or topping) chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, or spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
Bim says
Yummy! From now on I won’t throw away super ripe bananas anymore. Great for snacks and pot luck.
soom says
My friends aunt traveled to Hawaii in the 1960's and came back with a recipe for banana bread served at her hotel. She said 'the blacker the banana, the better' for best flavor. She was right! they can be solid black skin and make great bread. I add coarse chopped walnuts but I think Macadamias would be great too. I often sub ground gluten-free flours for some of the wheat flour.
Nora Reyes says
Love that! Your walnut version sounds great, and macadamias would be perfect too. And nice tip on the gluten-free flour swap — that’s really helpful. Thank you!! ❤️
Corazon says
Everyone could use this classic and delicious recipe.. cuz who wants to waste over ripe bananas! ? 😄🍌🍌🍌