Banana Bread – Yum-Yum, Can’t Get Enough
Banana Bread that’s makes you wonder how you lived without it and hits all the bases. Easy to make, moist, flavorful, and delish on its own or with the added additions of chocolate and/or nuts.
Banana Bread Recipe:
This is one of my favorite recipes because of how easy it is to make and because of how delish it is. It takes care of the “what do we do with these ripe bananas” problem. It never lasts long on our counter either; 1 loaf disappears within a day. We enjoy it as a quick breakfast option and/or snack on it through-out the day. Each time I bake it and post it on my socials, without fail someone always asks for the recipe. And if you prefer muffin’s instead of a loaf, it’s easily converted to create Banana Muffins from this recipe.
This loaf stays delish right on your countertop for days stored in a Rubbermaid container. And since this recipe makes 2 loaves, you can even share or gift a loaf to a friend or neighbor, or be selfish and freeze the second loaf to be enjoyed again at a later date.
Freezing and storing your second banana bread loaf:
To prepare your second banana bread loaf for the freezer, simply wrap the fully cooled banana bread loaf in plastic wrap, and then place in a ziplock freezer storage bag. Press the air out of the zip lock bag and seal it. Then place the banana bread loaf in your freezer and defrost on the counter when you’re ready to enjoy it again.
Ingredients for Banana Bread:
This is everything you will need to make this Banana Bread. Very ripe bananas, flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, room temp butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Optionally, you can also add semi sweet chocolate chips to get your chocolate fix as well as chopped walnuts for an added crunch factor.
Can I omit the chocolate chips and/or walnuts?
YES! The recipe will still work if the chocolate chips and/or walnuts are omitted. You will still have a soft, super moist and delish loaf. Follow this link for the recipe to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread or Chocolate Banana Bread.
How to ripen banana’s:
24 Hour Counter Method: Place the bunch of bananas (without separating them) in a paper bag, close up the bag and leave on your countertop for a day. Bananas emit ethylene which causes ripening. Adding an apple to the bag will speed up the process.
How to Make Banana Bread:
This is the easiest recipe. Feel free to use whichever one of these tools you have: a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer or even a hand whisk. The best part of this recipe is there is no fancy equipment required.
- In the mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
- Mix in eggs, sour cream, orange juice, and vanilla extract, and mashed bananas.
- Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and add to batter.
- Stir in chocolate chips and/or, walnuts, and transfer to prepared loaf pan and bake.
- Stores great in a air tight container
Love Sweet Breads? Try these other Popular Bread Recipes:
Our household loves sweetbreads because they are easy to make and are such a treat to eat! Try these other variations:
- Apple Bread – a moist apple bread
- Pumpkin Bread – so easy and we love it year-round
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bread – always disappears fast
- Zucchini Bread – a great way to use those garden-grown zucchini
Yum-Yum, Can’t Get Enough Banana Bread
Equipment
- Hand mixer with standard beater attachments or
- Standing mixer with paddle attachment
- 3 Mixing Bowls – 2 Medium Sized and 1 Large Sized
- Wooden Toothpicks to check when done
Ingredients
- 7 ripe banana's, mashed
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- ¼ cup full fat sour cream
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degree's. **See oven temp setting tips**
- Prepare a loaf pan (9.25 long x 5.25 wide x 2.75 deep) with parchment paper. **See how photo's above**
- Mixing Bowl # 1: In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
- Mixing Bowl # 2: In another medium-sized bowl, mash bananas and set aside.
- Mixing Bowl # 3: In a large mixing bowl; place butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar and cream until well incorporated with either standing mixer or hand held mixer.
- To mixing bowl # 3; add eggs 1 at a time and mix each until incorporated. Then add sour cream, orange juice, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas and mix until incorporated.
- To mixing bowl # 3; Gradually add the flour mixture in small batches, stirring until ingredients are completely combined. Don't over-mix. You just want to bring it together.
- At this point, if you would like to also add a chocolate flavor to your banana bread; add in the chocolate chips and mix by hand with a spatula. Additionally, if you would like a nutty banana bread, add in walnuts and mix by hand with a spatula. And if you want both chocolate and nuts, then make it a party and mix in both.
- The batter will be loose. Trust the process.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pans until each pan is roughly half full.
- Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean. Since each oven bakes differently, the toothpick will be your key guide to when the loaves are perfectly ready.
- Let loaves cool for about 20 minutes before removing from pans to enjoy!
- Easily stored in Rubbermaid containers once fully cooled.
