Quick answer
Mash 1½ cups of very ripe bananas, about 3 medium, then stir in melted butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla. Fold in flour, baking soda and salt just until combined. Bake in a greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pan at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
This banana bread recipe produces one moist, tender loaf in a single bowl, without an electric mixer. The essential detail is generous banana, measured by volume rather than counted individually, combined with brown sugar and melted butter for a rich, caramelized crumb.
Below, you will find exactly how many bananas to use for each size, and how to ripen them quickly. After that come fixes for a sunken or gummy loaf, variations including muffins and an egg-free version, and how to store and freeze it.
How Many Bananas You Need
Recipes that call for “3 bananas” leave a lot to chance, because a large banana weighs nearly twice as much as an extra small one. According to USDA FoodData Central, a cup of mashed banana weighs about 225 grams, so this loaf needs roughly 337 grams.
| Banana size | Peeled weight | Bananas for 1½ cups mashed |
|---|---|---|
| Extra small (under 6 inches) | 81 g | About 4 |
| Small (6 to 7 inches) | 101 g | About 3⅓ |
| Medium (7 to 8 inches) | 118 g | About 3 |
| Large (8 to 9 inches) | 136 g | About 2½ |
| Extra large (9 inches or longer) | 152 g | About 2¼ |
A little extra banana is acceptable, although considerably more than 1¾ cups can leave the center damp. Choose bananas with abundant brown spots, since they are noticeably sweeter, softer and more fragrant than yellow ones.
Moist Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Fork or potato masher
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas about 3 medium, 337 g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 stick, melted and slightly cooled
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp table salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, 188 g
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps.
- Stir in the melted butter, then the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla, until well combined.
- Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the batter and stir them in.
- Add the flour and fold gently just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the nuts or chips, if using.
- Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too fast, tent it with foil after 40 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
Per slice, estimated
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Total fat
- 10 g
- Saturated fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 60 mg
- Sodium
- 260 mg
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugars
- 20 g
- Protein
- 4 g
How to Ripen Bananas Fast
If your bananas are still yellow, seal them in a paper bag with an apple for a day or two to speed ripening. For same-day baking, bake unpeeled bananas on a lined sheet at 300°F for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skins turn black and the flesh is soft. Let them cool before mashing.
Frozen bananas also work beautifully. Thaw them in a bowl, then mash them together with the liquid they release, because that liquid contains much of their flavor.
Why Banana Bread Sinks or Turns Gummy
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Sunken middle | Underbaked, or too much banana | Bake until a toothpick comes out clean; keep banana near 1½ cups |
| Dense, gummy streak | Overmixed batter | Fold in the flour only until no dry streaks remain |
| Dry, crumbly loaf | Too much flour | Spoon flour into the cup and level it, or weigh 188 grams |
| Dark top, raw center | Oven running hot | Tent with foil after 40 minutes |
Variations
- Chocolate chip: fold in ¾ cup of semisweet chips, as in the chocolate chip cookies.
- Nuts: add ½ cup of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Oil instead of butter: use ⅓ cup of neutral oil for an even moister, longer-keeping loaf.
- Extra tender: replace 2 tablespoons of butter with ¼ cup of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt.
- No eggs: use 2 flax eggs or ½ cup of applesauce. The egg substitute guide covers both.
- Muffins: divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups and bake for 18 to 22 minutes.
Whichever version you choose, resist tasting the raw batter. The FDA flour guidance warns that raw flour can carry Salmonella and E. coli, so wait until the loaf is baked.
Storing and Freezing Banana Bread
Cool the loaf completely, then wrap it tightly. Banana bread tastes best within 2 to 3 days at room temperature, and refrigeration during warm, humid weather discourages mold. To freeze, wrap whole loaves or individual slices in plastic and then foil, and use them within about 3 months for the best texture. Thaw slices on the counter, or toast them straight from frozen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you use frozen bananas for banana bread?
Yes. Thaw them completely and include the liquid they release when you mash them.
Why use baking soda instead of baking powder?
Brown sugar and bananas are slightly acidic, and baking soda reacts with that acidity. Consequently, the loaf rises properly and develops a deep golden color.
How do you know when banana bread is done?
A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, and the top should spring back when pressed.
Bringing It Together
Exceptional banana bread begins with 1½ cups of well-spotted banana, approximately 3 medium bananas. Stir the batter gently, bake at 350°F until a toothpick emerges clean, and tent the top if it darkens prematurely. Finally, cool it completely before slicing, and freeze any additional loaves for later.
Key takeaways
- Measure 1½ cups of mashed banana, about 337 grams.
- Use bananas with lots of brown spots for the sweetest flavor.
- Fold in the flour gently to avoid a dense, gummy loaf.
- Bake at 350°F for 55 to 65 minutes, tenting with foil if needed.
About this recipe: banana weights and nutrition come from USDA FoodData Central, and the raw batter advice follows the FDA.
