This, my friends, is the moist banana bread recipe you’ve been searching for. One of my all-time most popular recipes, this fluffy banana bread is truly the best banana bread recipe you’ll try.
Want to learn how how to make the best, moist and fluffy banana bread you’ve ever had? I’m a Food Scientist and I’m going to share all the secrets!
Light, moist and tender, never dry or dense, this ultimate banana bread recipe produces loaves (and muffins!) that are perfectly fluffy, soft and full of banana flavor.
The Secret to Moist Banana Bread
So, what’s the trick to fluffy, soft, never-dry banana bread? Tons of banana. They make it super moist and flavourful. It stays tender and fresh for days.
- You’ll want to squirrel away bananas (4 whole bananas per loaf) and let them ripen.
But HERE’S the REAL Key
Use just over-ripe bananas. I used to bananas so over-ripe they’d gone almost black and soft.
- Over the years (decades?) of making this recipe, I’ve discovered that if I use bananas that have brown freckles and are fragrant (but not verging on compost 🤣), the banana stays way in the batter better without sinking.
- This gives you ultra-moist, soft banana bread, maximum banana flavor and natural sweetness, while avoiding a soggy layer of sunken banana at the bottom.
I always have a stash of ripe bananas in the freezer, peeled, and broken in chunks and stored in a freezer bag. When the bag gets full, I make banana bread. Here’s how to make banana bread with frozen bananas.
4 Pro Tips for Making the Best Banana Bread Ever
As a food science expert, here are the keys to making your new favorite banana bread recipe 😋
1. Preheat Your Oven
Might seem obvious (or optional?) but this initial burst of heat from a preheated oven helps the batter rise quickly, setting the structure of the bread as it’s tallest, fluffiest loaf.
2. Move Quickly Once Mixed
The batter should get into the oven as quickly as possible once the wet ingredients hit the dry.
Both of these tips are based on the chemistry of baking powder – if it is double-acting, it starts to work as soon as it is moistened, and then again with heat. We want to work quickly and with the right heat to allow optimal rising – the results will be fluffy and light, as desired.
3. Do Not Overmix
You want to stir gently, and only until there are no more flour patches. Over-mixing produces tough, dense muffins and loaves. This is not a recipe to make with your stand mixer.
4. Nail the Doneness Every Time
My favorite way to ensure perfect doneness is to pull out my meat thermometer and take the internal temperature. This takes away any guesswork. It’s done when the middle reaches 190ºF.
PLUS: In case you scrolled here, be sure to see the section above on “The Secret to Moist Banana Bread” for what bananas are best to get it perfect (it’s maybe not what you think!).
Here’s What You Need for Fluffy Banana Bread
I’ve broken down what you’ll need for this cozy classic.
Banana Bread Ingredients
- Large egg: Ideally at room temperature.
- Just over-ripe bananas: Not black, mushy ones. You’ll want to mash them with a fork or a potato masher.
RELATED: Can you use frozen banana for banana bread? to find out about what recipe adjustments to make and whether to discard the frozen banana liquid after thawing! - Unsalted butter: Brings richness and flavor.
- Milk: Adds moisture, making the bread soft.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Baking soda & baking powder: These leaveners help the bread rise, making it fluffy and light.
- Salt: Enhances all the other flavors.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are some simple tweaks to switch things up:
- Whole wheat flour: For a heartier, fiber-rich loaf.
- Oil: A vegan alternative to butter.
- Barista oat milk: For a dairy-free version, swap out the regular milk for this rich plant-based milk, or use almond milk for a lighter option.
- Honey or maple syrup: These can replace granulated sugar for a different kind of sweetness.
- Add-Ins: For extra texture and flavor, stir in a cup of chocolate chips, blueberries, raisins, cranberries, walnuts or other nuts. Some people like a teaspoon of cinnamon or vanilla extract, but I’m personally a banana bread purist. Try my pumpkin banana bread, too!
Grab These Tools
You won’t need much, just a few kitchen basics:
- Loaf pan: An 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch size works perfectly.
- Parchment paper: For easy removal and clean-up.
- Large bowl: To mix your ingredients.
- Spatula: To fold the batter and scrape it into the pan.
- Meat Thermometer or Toothpick: To test for doneness. I recommend using a thermometer to take out the guesswork.
How to Make The Best Banana Bread Recipe: An Easy Guide
Let’s walk through each step.
Prepare the Pan and Preheat the Oven
Getting started is simple. First, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then, grab your loaf pan and either grease it well or line it with parchment paper, making sure there’s an overhang on the sides. This setup will help your bread slide out easily once it’s done.
Mix the Wet Ingredients
Begin by beating the egg, mashed banana, and melted butter in a large bowl until they’re well blended. For this part, you can use a spoon or a hand mixer. This trio brings together the moisture and fat needed for a tender loaf. Next, stir in the milk.
Mix the Dry Ingredients
Whisk together your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Gently Combine the Batter
Slowly add the flour mixture to your banana mixture, stirring just until everything is moistened.
Overmixing can make the bread tough, so gentle mixing is key and stop as soon as there’s no dry flour.
Bake to Perfection
Scrape the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. If you want to add a special touch, slice some banana rounds on top for a pretty presentation. Cover the banana bread loosely with aluminum foil if it starts to get dark before it’s done baking.
Use a thermometer to test doneness without guessing. It should be 190ºF for it to be perfectly set with maximum moistness. A toothpick doneness test will work, too, if you don’t have a thermometer.
Can you freeze banana bread?
Yes, you absolutely can freeze banana bread. Here’s how:
- Allow your banana bread loaf to first cool.
- Then either freeze it whole, in halves, or cut it into slices with a bread knife. Either way, wrap it first in foil or plastic wrap, and then store in a freezer bag.
Favorite Banana Recipes to Try Next
- 3-Ingredient Banana Pancakes
- Banana Ice Cream Recipe
- Moist Banana Zucchini Bread
- Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Bites
- Banana Bran Muffins
Love this? You’ll also love my favorite Moist Pumpkin Bread and Moist Zucchini Bread recipes!
The Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe (You’ll Thank Me Later!)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups mashed over-ripe banana (about 4 large)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8 1/2- by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan by greasing it or lining it with parchment paper (allowing an overhang on sides). Beat egg, mashed banana and melted butter in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Stir in milk.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture and stir until just moistened. Scrape batter into prepared pan. (You can slice some banana rounds on top for presentation, if you like.)
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cover the banana bread loosely with aluminum foil if it starts to get dark before it's done baking.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I make this recipe every couple of months, it’s been my go to for years. I’ve tried others but keep coming back to this one. Today I made it with gluten free all purpose flour, for someone who has an allergy. I’m hoping it turns out.
I was at 7-11 and saw a pile of brown bananas I knew would be thrown away — 2 for $1. I bought 4, came home and googled “foodess banana bread” because I just KNEW you would have a fantastic recipe. This is delicious! I only had flax milk, not cow’s milk, but if it made a difference, I couldn’t tell. Yuuuuuuuuummmmmmm!!!!!
Amazing recipe. Added vegan chocolate chips to it and used oat milk. However, the bottom became soggy as the banana settled at the bottom. How do i prevent this?
Hi Manpreet, I have best results when I use bananas that are ripe but not turning black, and if using frozen bananas, I drain and discard the liquid that comes out when thawing.
If using frozen bananas does it alter time or amount of flour as bananas are runny
Hi Beth,
I make this recipe ALL the time with frozen bananas. I thaw them in the microwave, then after thawing, drain off any extra liquid from the bananas to avoid adding too much moisture to the batter. Turns out perfectly – no tweaking needed!
I have been looking for a good banana cake recipe for a long time and thought why not check if Jen has one on her website. I’m so glad I checked because this is hands down the best, fluffiest banana cake I have made. This is another one of Jen’s recipes that I will surely make again and again! Thanks so much for all the hard work you put into recipe testing.
Hii, love this recipe!
could I just multiply this by 5/10 if I wanted a large batch?! I’m worried about the baking soda/baking powder ratio
thank you!
I would personally not recommend do a batch that large. It requires too much stirring to work the flour into the liquid ingredients in those proportions making the whole thing rubbery.
And you’re right, at that level, the baking soda taste will come through. When I double the recipe I keep the baking soda the same and triple the baking powder instead to make sure there’s no unreacted alkaline flavour. I’d recommend doubling the batch and repeating to the quantity you need to ensure you get results consistent with the banana bread you love!
I have decided I can throw out all of my other banana bread recipes. I ONLY NEED THIS ONE!!!!! Good gosh this was divine! Highly, highly recommend! I made it a few weeks ago (see, I’m still thinking about it), and I already want another loaf!
This is the BEST comment EVER! Thank you so much, you’ve made my day!
I am FOREVER on the hunt for great banana bread and have made countless loaves, but this is by far the best and it’s beautiful presentation with the bananas layered on top. What I did do was I swapped half of the butter out for applesauce and I split the recipe into 2 loaf pans, reducing the cook time by a little. I will use one loaf just for my new obsession which is banana bread french toast!
I’m pinning and saving and this will be my go-to recipe going forward.
Best banana bread recipe I tried. So good and my husband loves it!
Love this recipe and I make it all the time. Can I double/ triple this recipe?
Hi Max, yes but keep the baking soda the same (too much soda causes a metallic taste). Multiply out the baking powder + add 1 extra tsp per batch.