Equipment
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 bananas, very overripe and heavily spotted
- 115 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 190 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 5 g baking soda
- 3 g fine sea salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 242 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 37 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 18 g
- Sodium
- 346 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 6 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Cholesterol
- 25 mg
- Potassium
- 363 mg
- Calcium
- 33 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 52 mg
- Zinc
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin A
- 90 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.04 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 30 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 175°C/350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
Peel the overripe bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the bananas until completely smooth with only small chunks remaining.
Pour the melted butter into the mashed bananas and mix vigorously until thoroughly combined.
Add the baking soda and salt to the banana mixture, stirring well. Then mix in the granulated sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract until the batter is uniform.
Add the flour to the bowl. Use a spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until the visible streaks of flour disappear. Do not overmix.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake at 175°C/350°F for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- The secret to extraordinary banana bread is the bananas themselves. The peels should be nearly entirely black; this indicates starches have converted to sugars, maximizing natural sweetness and moisture.
- If your bananas are ripening too quickly, peel them and store them in an airtight container in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature before using in this recipe.
- Melting the butter rather than creaming it yields a denser, moister bread, which aligns perfectly with the traditional texture profile of quick breads.
- For enhanced flavor, try browning the butter before adding it to the mashed bananas. Let it cool slightly so it does not scramble the egg.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave individual slices for 15-20 seconds, or toast until edges are crisp.
Troubleshooting
Bread is dense and rubbery
Cause: Overmixing the batter after adding the flour
Fix: Cannot be fixed
Prevention: Fold the flour in gently using a spatula and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
Outside is burnt but center is raw
Cause: Oven temperature was too high or pan material conducts heat too aggressively
Fix: Cover the top loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking until the center is done.
Prevention: Use an oven thermometer to verify temperature. If using a dark glass or black metal pan, lower oven temperature by 15 degrees Celsius.
Cultural Context
Banana bread became a staple of American baking during the Great Depression in the 1930s, as housewives were eager to utilize overripe bananas rather than discard precious food. Its popularity surged concurrently with the commercial mass production of baking soda and baking powder, making quick breads accessible to home cooks without the labor of yeast-based baking.
