This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see our privacy policy.
This truly is the PERFECT banana bread. With an easy one-bowl and no-mixer recipe, it's super-moist and so flavorful! The beautiful, sweet, mahogany-hued crust is crisp and the crumb incredibly tender.
Remember the classic children's story, Goldilocks and the Three Bears? A family of bears came upon Goldilocks's house when no one was home. They seized the opportunity and invited themselves inside. The story tells how the bears decided to "test" the dining chairs in the house to see if any would be suitable for them. "Too big", "too small", "too hard", "too soft" and finally when got to the last chair (belonging to little Goldilocks), the verdict was... "Perfect!". That's exactly how I felt when experimenting with, what seemed like, a zillion banana bread recipes.
The "BEST" banana bread... not always the best
I tried banana bread recipes from Bon Appétit, King Arthur Flour, Food 52, All-Recipes and several other websites/blogs, all claiming to be "The BEST Banana Bread".
Most of them were good... but not great or (in my eyes) "perfect". And I was looking for that perfect recipe. What do I mean by "perfect"? Easy, moist, tender-crumbed, really attractive and, of course, incredibly delicious.
"Too dry", "too wet", "too ugly", "too pale", "too flat", "too complicated"... and on and on it went until I decided to take what I'd learned from the recipes and come up with my own rendition.
Butter or oil?
As I went along testing this recipe and that one, I realized there were a few things to consider. One of the first decisions was whether to use butter or oil in my recipe. Although I'm a huge butter fan for most cake and many quick bread recipes, I discovered that oil actually makes a moister and more delicious banana bread with a better texture. And with all the wonderful banana flavor, butter wasn't really necessary.
The texture of this banana bread is perfect... nice and moist with a super tender crumb. Check it out in the picture below!
How many bananas to use in banana bread?
The recipes I tried, varied widely in the number of bananas that were included. Some called for "2 small bananas", others as many as five or six. I wanted lots of banana flavor and I noticed that the recipes that called for more bananas yielded a moister bread. So I decided to go with 4 medium-size bananas.
How to mash the bananas for banana bread?
There were also lots of options for mashing the bananas in the recipes I tried.
- Mash them with a fork on a plate or cutting board.
- Mash them by squeezing them in a zip lock bag, then cut a hole in one corner and transfer the liquid banana mixture to the bowl.
- Mash the bananas right in the batter for chunky banana bread.
- Throw them in a blender.
- Use your hands to "squish" them.
- Use your mixer.
Since I wanted my recipe to be one-bowl, no-mixer I decided to mash them with a potato masher in my mixing bowl before adding any other ingredients. It works like a charm and doesn't dirty any extra plates, bowls or equipment. A fork would also work although it's a bit more work.
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
The riper (and uglier) the better! King Arthur Flour (the expert in all things to do with baking) says, "The best bananas for banana bread aren't yellow; they're black. Or they're at least streaked with black/brown, with just the barest hint of green at the stem. And again, the darker the better: there’s no such thing as a too-ripe banana when you’re making banana bread."
I agree because, as bananas ripen, their starch is converted to sugar. So the riper the banana, the sweeter it becomes. That being said, I've made some delicious banana bread with more yellow bananas, providing they have lots of nice brown sugar spots. As long as your bananas have some brown spots and are no longer green, they will work well for banana bread.
How to speed up the ripening of bananas
If your bananas aren't quite ripe enough, placing them overnight in a closed paper grocery bag will speed up the ripening. The bag will trap the ethylene that bananas release and enhance the ripening process.
One large or three small loaves
I love that this recipe can make either one nice large loaf in an 8x5-inch pan or 3 smaller loaves (3x6-inch). Both sizes freeze well and the smaller ones are perfect for gifting to friends, neighbors, etc.
How to store banana bread?
Banana bread keeps well for several days at room temperature. Wrap it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. For longer storage, wrap the bread in plastic wrap or place in a plastic bag, squeeze out any extra air and freeze. Thaw before serving.
Once you try this Perfect Banana Bread, I think you will find yourself searching the banana display at the grocery store for those spotted bananas or buying an extra-large bunch so you'll be sure to have enough left over to make this delicious treat.
Hungry taste testers
We had some workers from a local nursery doing some planting in our yard while I was testing this recipe. I put out a platter of sliced bread and a pitcher of cold milk. The oohs and aahs, as they devoured the bread, were prolific. They all declared this to be "the BEST banana bread" they had ever tried. Neighbors and friends who participated in the taste-testing had the same response!
So, like Goldilocks in The Three Bears story, you can definitely stop searching for that "perfect" banana bread recipe. It's here! Cheers!
Café Tips for making this Perfect Banana Bread
- This recipe calls for an 8x5-inch pan. If your pan is larger (9x5), it's fine. The finished loaf won't be quite as tall.
- As mentioned above, I like to use a potato masher to prepare my bananas for this recipe. I mash them right in my mixing bowl, before adding any of the other ingredients. If you don't have a potato masher, a fork will also work. It will just take a bit longer.
- If you have ripe bananas and you're not ready to make banana bread, throw them in a zip lock bag and store them in the freezer. When ready to bake, simply let the bananas thaw for 15-20 minutes, then squeeze the bag to remove any large lumps. Cut a little snip from one corner of the bag and simply squeeze the soft bananas into your mixing bowl.
- I like to use a whisk for steps 1- 3 followed by a rubber or silicone spatula to stir in the dry ingredients.
- This recipe calls for plain Greek yogurt. I like full-fat Fage yogurt, but you can use low-fat Greek yogurt if desired.
- No yogurt? No problem. You can also use buttermilk, regular plain yogurt or sour cream in lieu of the yogurt.
- I really like checking the doneness of my cakes and other baked goods with an instant thermometer. Instant thermometers are not expensive and they help avoid over or undercooking. The finished temperature for banana bread is 200-205˚F.
- This banana bread also makes a wonderful dessert! I like to cut it into thick slices and warm it slightly (10 seconds in the microwave). I top it with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of caramel or butterscotch sauce. We call this dessert is Banana Heaven!
Thought for the day:
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall;
but those who HOPE in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will SOAR on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:28-31
What we've been listening to for inspiration:
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It’s so helpful to other readers to hear other’s results and ideas for variations.
- 4 mashed very ripe medium-sized bananas about 2 cups
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
-
Preheat the oven to 350˚F with a rack in the center of the oven. Spray a 5x8 loaf pan (or 3x6-inch pans) generously with baking spray. Set aside.
-
Peel bananas and place them in a medium-large mixing bowl. Using a potato masher, mash bananas until fairly smooth.
-
Add both sugars and the oil and whisk well to combine. Whisk in the eggs until well combined followed by the yogurt and vanilla.
-
Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the top and stir until combined. Add the flour and stir just until all flour is incorporated.
-
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and place it on a sheet pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean and without batter. You can also use an instant thermometer to determine if the bread is done. The temperature of the finished bread should be 200-205˚F.
-
If using the smaller pans (3x5 or 3x6) bake for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (or internal temperature is 200-205˚F).
See Café Tips above in the post for further instructions and detailed tips.
Baking times can vary, depending on your oven, pan, altitude, etc. It's really best to test doneness with an instant thermometer. Quick breads like this are done when the temperature reaches 200-205˚F or 94-96˚C.
The Café Sucre Farine is a participant in the Amazon Affiliate Program. The Amazon Affiliate Program is designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products on Amazon. The price you pay as a consumer does not change.
Rose says
Well, now you’ve done it, Chris. You’ve ruined me for any of the other myriad banana bread recipes I’ve accumulated. This is THE ONE. It really is PERFECT. Going out tomorrow to find more ripe bananas to make another. But right now I’m going into my recipe file to delete all my other banana bread recipes. Thank you!
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! I'm so happy to hear that, Rose!
Sue R says
I made this again. I used Aussie avocado oil since it tastes amazing and added a few crushed walnuts. This honestly is the best banana cake ever. I won't bother with any other recipe again. I made it yesterday and it's almost all gone!
Making your Easy Artisan Rolls right now. They were fun to make and yes easy like the cake. I did need to add more water but that is due to the normal things like type of flour and humidity etc I know. I also know the wetter the better if you want more holes. You just use light hands and a touch of flour extra as needed. They are resting now. Can't wait to put them in the oven to see what comes out! I'll let you know over in your bread section. They look so cute already 🙂
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your review, Sue! I'm so glad you are enjoying the recipes 🙂
Christopher says
Chris,
Greetings from the High Plains of Colorado. This is truly a fine recipe and a great way to use really ripe bananas. We live at 4800 ft in elevation and had no trouble with the recipe without modifications. This got baked in 4 mini loaf pans, about 40 minutes.
I added 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the vanilla and used 1/3 cup of oil and 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal. Very nice.
The yogurt really helps this stay moist and delicious.
Thanks for allf the great recipes. Many blessings!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks so much for letting us know, Christopher!
Angie says
Just beautiful. Gorgeous. The taste, color, the moistness, the caramelization. So darn good!!! My favorite banan bread recipe ever!!! Thank you so much for your blog. Love it so much!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Thank you so much, Angie! I'm so happy your had great results.
Candice says
I would like to ask what type of oil you use? I use coconut oil in place of vegetable oil but I melt the solid, let cool and then use. I have baked some with olive oil and sometimes I like the results and sometimes not. I know there are many oil to choose from but I am just not sure which one is a good neutral taste oil that will not be too heavy for baked goods. Thank you. This bread looks really good and I cannot wait to try it.
Cecilia says
I haven't baked banana bread since my college time and have lost my original recipe so I needed to search for a good one before I bake again. Fortunately I do know a good recipe when I see one and yours is the one I picked. Made it and was almost perfect the first time (baking time needs to be a bit longer but still turned out great). Being an Asian we like our dessert not too sweet so I went ahead to follow your recipe except cutting down the total sugar by 40%. Came out delicious though I'd still go further to cut down the sugar to only 50% next time.
So thank you for sharing this recipe. I love it. And I love your site (so happy to have discovered it!) Great recipes, great photos, great bible-verse sharing. Thank you again and God bless!
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks for sharing your review, Cecilia! I'm so happy you enjoyed it and that the recipe works well with decreased sugar. I know that will be helpful to other readers 💕
Marjie says
This banana bread sounds delicious. Have you ever used shortening instead of oil in your quick breads?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Marjie, I haven't tried shortening. I'm a big butter fan though and I did try butter in this bread and didn't like that version as well as the one with the oil. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!
Ursula says
Just did not rise. Don't know what went wrong.
Chris Scheuer says
It's hard to say, Ursula, without having been there in the kitchen with you. Could your baking soda be old? I just made a loaf again and it rose beautifully.
Anna says
I came here from a search for tortilla recipes and one click led to another (and many bookmarks for future use). But I just wanted to thank you for the verse and the link to 'The Blessing'. Not what I expected to find, but just what I needed.
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Anna! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment and I'm so happy The Blessing was an encouragement to you! Welcome to The Café!
Debbie L says
Hi Chris
This is a wonderful banana bread recipe. So easy and good and moist. I actually doubled the recipe and made 2 large loafs. I cannot eat banana without chocolate so I added half of the batter in the pan, put a Hershey bar in, then added the remainder of the batter on top. Delish! My Mom liked hers plain and thought this was one of the best recipes she has tasted. Thanks for another great recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Yay! So happy you enjoyed it, Debbie. The Hershey bar sounds wonderful!
Jan Weakley says
I am not sure what went wrong but the banna bread did not raise at all and was not done even though I baked it longer than suggested. The taste was great but I had to dump it. The recipe calls for baking soda, which I used, but was wondering if that was a misprint and should have been baking powder. I did add a cup of chopped pecans as we like nuts in our bread but that should not keep the bread from getting done or from raising. I would like to try the recipe again but sure do not want to dump it again. Thanks for responding.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Jan, it's really hard to say what went wrong without having been there in the kitchen with you. I shouldn't turn out like that so I do hope you try it again.
Carey says
Hi Chris,
I have truly loved all of your recipes, but was not a fan of this banana bread. For me it was too dense and a bit heavy. Sorry! Thanks so much for your wonderful blog it is one of my favorites.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Carey, for sharing your results. Everyone has their own idea of perfect banana bread. I appreciate your kind words 💕
Gayle Humann says
Made this banana bread today and really delicious. Very moist and tender. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Everyone stay safe and healthy during this unprecedented time.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Gayle, for taking the time to share your results! 💕
Julie says
Made this today - delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Julie, for sharing your results!
Deb Frederick says
I haven’t tried your recipe yet, but eyeballing it, it’s very similar to the ones I’ve made over the years, though my go-to has been my Better Homes and Garden Cookbook version. I tend to modify whatever recipe I’m using by replacing half the flour with whole wheat flour and reducing the sugar by about 1/4 to 1/3. I’m diabetic and try to get a healthier but still tasty result, without resorting to artificial sweeteners. The resulting banana bread could be a little drier when you use whole wheat flour, though it will still be tasty, but you can add a couple more tablespoons of oil or an extra banana for a moister loaf. Hope this helps in your continue recipe testing and helps your readers to make a somewhat healthier version of our beloved banana bread!🥰
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Deb! I know this will be helpful for other readers.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, Deb!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
Looks absolutely perfect Chris! I make a lot of banana bread recipes, depending on the bananas on hand and/or my mood. I will definitely be adding this one to the rotation 🙂
Debbie Thornton says
My 9 yr old granddaughter loves to learn cooking skills with me. We made this today (actually she did). So good!!
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Debbie! How fun! What great memories and life skills you're giving her!
Karen Calanchini says
Chris, I have printed out and will be making this soon. I do want to ask, what baking spray do you use? So many of them have ruined my baking pans, leaving a film that is almost impossible to remove. I am using a Field Day Coconut spray now, that seems to wash off well, but sometimes I am sure I can taste an off taste in some of my baked goods.
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Karen, I use whatever Scott buys me, usually our local store brand. I have tried all different brands but don't notice much difference. I haven't had any problem with it and my baking pans but I do use OXO Good Grip pans for most of my baking and they have a great coating that nothing seems to stick to. Even with a rough and tough baker like me, they still look really good! 😂
https://amzn.to/2LKd1vR
Peggy says
So weird. I just made your “Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread” for the first time ever this morning. I was planning to make banana bread in the afternoon. The focaccia was so good I figured I should check to see if you posted a recipe for banana bread. I was looking for your search function and realized you happened to post a banana bread recipe on the very day I planned to make one. What a wonderful coincidence! The banana bread came out delicious! Thank you so much! I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Chris Scheuer says
Haha! I love it! Definitely not weird, Peggy, just a little serendipitous! You didn't know that "your wish is my command" 😊 Seriously, I'm so happy you enjoyed both of these recipes! Welcome to The Café!
Patty says
Dear Chris and Scott, Thank you for the thought of the day. He is hope for me too! I have my grandmas' recipe for banana bread and it looks just like yours. I printed the thought for the day for my recipe collection and love the idea of framing it. Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
You're welcome, Patty! We love that verse 💕💕
Grandma's recipes are always good!
Sue R says
Chris I'm wondering about half the amount of oil and half melted butter so it'll still have a buttery taste. Thoughts? That is truly beautiful looking banana bread.
Chris Scheuer says
You could definitely try that. I found while testing recipes that I really liked the texture and moistness of the bread better with oil. And I am a huge butter fan!
diane says
Chris,
Can you use bananas that were so ripe we decided to peel them and then froze them. In other words frozen bananas!!!!
Chris Scheuer says
Yes, you can! They make great banana bread!
Pam says
Hi,
I am from a Trinidad. I follow your recipes all the time. I make them
Once they do not have meat as I am a vegetarian.
You both are very blessed.
May the Lord continues to inspire you both and keep you always
Blessed and protected at this time and always.
Be safe
God’s Grace to you all.
Regards.....Pam
Chris Scheuer says
Greetings all the way to Trinidad! So nice to "meet" you, Pam! Thanks for your kind and encouraging words 💕💕
Becky says
Looks good! How long do I bake this bread if I use 3 X 6" pans?
Chris Scheuer says
Great question, Becky! I'll add that to the post! Thanks 💕
Janet says
Looks perfect to me, Chris! I can’t wait to try.
Chris Scheuer says
Enjoy!