Classic easy banana bread recipe made in 1 bowl, and is ready to eat in 1 hour! It's the perfect way to use up overripe bananas and bake for the freezer. Adjust the amount of sugar to your taste and customise the recipe by adding walnuts for crunch or chocolate chips for the ultimate flavour combination!
Grab those ugly brown bananas that have been forgotten in your fruit bowl...today we're making easy banana bread!
This easy banana bread recipe is one of my current favourites and is on regular baking rotation in my kitchen. There are so many things I love to bake, but when you just need to whip up something delicious quickly and without having to think too hard about it, you need a few back pocket recipes that you know will deliver the goods every time without fail. Chewy chocolate chip cookies fall into that category for me, along with white chocolate and raspberry muffins and of course this banana bread.
It's made in 1 bowl, and is ready to eat in 1 hour - minimal dishes, minimal hands on time and maximum reward when you take the first bite, even after you slightly burn your fingers cutting into it before it's cooled enough because who can resist fresh out of the oven banana bread? No one.
The best thing about this recipe is that it's pretty adaptable.
You can use anywhere from ½ cup of sugar for a loaf that's less sweet or up to 1 cup if you like it sweeter. I find that ¾ cup or just under is perfect for me.
If you like a little texture in your banana bread, chopped walnuts make a lovely addition (similar to my banana nut muffin recipe) or make it into the grown up version of my mini banana chocolate chip muffins and add chocolate chips!
It's the sort of thing that you bake and it reaches out and grabs you from the oven. I mean, it's banana bread, it's not exactly fancy but the aroma of freshly baked banana bread is enough to make you go back and brush your teeth for a second time that night because you just HAVE to have a piece before bed. True story.
It freezes well as a whole loaf or even as individual slices that can be grabbed out of the freezer and thrown into a lunchbox.
So if you've got an hour and a few bananas lying around, get to it! It's worth the effort just for the smell alone!
Easy Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 4 medium sized very ripe bananas mashed (about 1 ½ cups)
- 100 grams butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup (157.5g) sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (210g) flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional add ins
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F and grease or line a loaf tin.
- Add the bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash using a fork. Add the melted butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla and whisk together.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the bowl and whisk together again, until all ingredients are combined. Fold in any optional add ins.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
- Slice and serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days.
- You may also wrap and freeze the whole loaf, or individual pieces that can be pulled out of the freezer and put straight into a lunchbox.
Maria says
Love this recipe!!! The ones I've used in the past add bananas at the end, but this one mixed so much creamier by adding bananas first.
kelly says
thanks! easy recipe for a quick last minute go to for our friends birthday tomorrow
Coral says
Easy and delicious! I used 1/2 a cup of soft brown sugar and 1/2 a cup of self raising flour-in addition to 1 cup of regular flour.
I look forward to trying it out with cinnamon or chocolate chips!
Ella says
Great recipe! Love that it is a one bowl wonder.
Lynn says
I replaced the melted butter with avocado oil. And it turned out great! Thanks!
Alexia says
My 13 year old made this today. it was as fast, easy and delicious as promised. We printed it and will definitely make again! Thank you.
Deb says
This is my favourite - I add chia seeds (soaked first) and blueberries - maybe some chocolate buds if I have some. Its so yum!
Harmïsh says
I replaced the banana with grated cucumber and added pumpkin seeds for half the sugar but it doesn't seem anything like banana bread. I'm disappointed but the kids finished it off, no food wastage in this house!
Laura says
I'm going to assume you are taking the mickey with this comment and I'm all for a laugh when people claim the recipe didn't turn out after they brazenly changed the essential ingredients but if your kids enjoyed their cucumber and pumpkin seed bread, surely it's worth a 5 star review?!
Tina Colyer says
U change the receipe from banana to cucumber and pumpkin seeds and then wonder why it doesn't taste like banana bread smh really omg some people lol. If ur disappointed it didnt taste like banana bread then maybe dont change the recipe lol and certainly dont come on here and complain about it
Liz says
What a find!! Searched for an unfussy quick and delicious recipe to use up my overripe bananas. This is gold. Highly highly recommend. Thank you!!!
Hannah says
I use 3 bananas and 1 cup of brown sugar with this receipe, fantastic every time! Sometimes a little home made lemon curd drizzled on the top before putting in the oven too. Nom nom
Marcella says
Sooo delicious and super easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sherrell says
Amazing!! So easy to prepare. My new go to recipe.. Thank you..
Kay says
This really deserves the 5 stars. So easy and quick to make and tastes delicious. My now go to banana loaf! Loved by everyone 🙂
Kylie says
Great easy recipe! Made it plenty of times! Thank you!
Nikki Sinclair says
My go to banana bread. I sub out some of the flour ( half cup sometimes more!) for ground almonds and use gluten free flours.
Cut the sugar to 1/ 4 - 1/2 cup and it comes out perfect every time. So tasty and moist, thankyou!
Amanda says
Currently in the oven - house smells amazing! Thanks for the recipe! My 3 yr old loved helping to make this 🙂
Paulette Balle says
Just wondering if the temp is for fan bake?
Laura says
No, I use regular bake for almost everything!