Do you often find a few overripe bananas with brown spots languishing in your fruit bowl? Before you consider them past their best, we’re here to let you in on a wonderful secret: those bananas are the key to baking the most fragrant, tender, and flavourful loaf imaginable. We believe in turning simple ingredients into something truly special, and we’re delighted to share our tried-and-tested, easy moist banana bread recipe that will elevate those humble fruits into a treat for the whole family.

We’ve all experienced the letdown of a banana bread that comes out of the oven feeling dense, dry, or lacking in flavour. That’s precisely why we dedicated ourselves to creating a recipe that is not only wonderfully straightforward but consistently yields a soft, moist crumb time after time. This is the recipe you’ll return to, whether you’re a seasoned baker or just finding your feet in the kitchen. It’s a truly comforting bake that fills your space with a warm, inviting aroma and offers a hug in every slice.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Supremely Moist and Full of Flavour: We rely on very ripe bananas and a touch of brown sugar to achieve a loaf that is bursting with sweet banana taste and stays beautifully moist for several days. This is genuinely the best moist banana bread we’ve ever had the pleasure of making.
• A One-Bowl Masterpiece: Say goodbye to complex instructions and a sink full of dirty dishes. You can combine all the ingredients in a single bowl, making this a true one bowl banana bread recipe that’s ideal for those with a busy schedule.
• Ideal for Every Skill Level: With its clear and concise steps, this recipe is a fantastic starting point for anyone new to home baking. It’s a reliable and gratifying bake, which makes it the perfect banana bread for beginners.
• Speedy and Simple: You can have this batter ready for the oven in less than 15 minutes, making it the ultimate quick banana bread for when you need a sweet fix without the fuss.
• Beautifully Adaptable: This recipe acts as a brilliant foundation. Feel free to personalise it by mixing in some chocolate chips, a handful of nuts, or a dusting of cinnamon sugar over the top.

Ingredients

• 3 large, very ripe bananas (the spottier, the better!), mashed
• 115g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 100g (1/2 cup) light brown soft sugar, packed
• 50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
• 1 large free-range egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 190g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but recommended)

Step-by-Step Instructions for the Perfect Banana Loaf

Following our guide will lead you to baking a perfect classic banana loaf every time. The most important things to remember are to handle the batter gently and to trust these simple steps. Right then, let’s begin!

H3: Preparation

1. Preheat Your Oven: To start, get your oven preheating to 175°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4).
2. Prepare Your Loaf Tin: Grease a 2lb (9×5 inch) loaf tin with a little butter or oil, then give it a light dusting of flour. As an alternative, you can line it with baking parchment to make removing the loaf even easier. This step is essential for a clean release.

H3: Mixing the Batter

1. Mash the Bananas: In a spacious mixing bowl, place your peeled ripe bananas. Use a fork or a potato masher to break them down until they form a soft pulp. A few small lumps remaining is absolutely fine.
2. Combine the Wet Ingredients: Pour the melted butter over the mashed bananas. Add both the light brown and caster sugars, then whisk until everything is thoroughly blended. Follow this with the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract, whisking again until the mixture is lovely and smooth.
3. Add the Dry Ingredients: Sift the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using) directly into the bowl. Sifting is a small step that helps prevent clumps and contributes to a lighter, more delicate texture.
4. Gently Fold: Take a spatula and gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ones until they are just incorporated. It is crucial that you do not overmix the batter! Seeing a few remaining streaks of flour is perfectly acceptable. Overmixing can develop the gluten, resulting in a tough loaf.

H3: Baking to Perfection

1. Pour and Bake: Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf tin, using your spatula to gently level the surface. Place the tin onto the middle shelf of your preheated oven.
2. Bake the Loaf: Let it bake for 50–60 minutes. The loaf is ready when a wooden skewer inserted into its centre comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If you notice the top browning too quickly, you can loosely tent it with a piece of foil for the final 10-15 minutes of baking time.
3. Cool Down: Once done, take the loaf out of the oven and allow it to cool in the tin for around 10 minutes. This helps it to firm up. Afterwards, carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely before you attempt to slice it. We know it’s tempting, but patience here ensures neat, perfect slices!

Top Tips for Success

We want your banana bread to be absolutely perfect, so here are a few of our most valuable tips.

• Use Extremely Ripe Bananas: This is our single most important piece of advice. Bananas covered in black spots or with fully blackened skins are ideal. As they ripen, their starches turn into sugars, making them much sweeter and providing essential moisture. This natural process contributes to a deeper, more complex flavour, a fact well-documented by food science authorities like Serious Eats.
• Measure Flour Correctly: For the best results, avoid scooping flour straight from the bag with your cup. Instead, spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it’s full, then sweep a knife across the top to level it. This method prevents compacting the flour, which can lead to a dense, dry loaf.
• Room Temperature Egg: An egg at room temperature will incorporate more seamlessly into the batter. This helps create a homogenous mixture, which in turn leads to a bake with a finer, more even crumb.

Delicious Variations

While this simple banana bread recipe is truly delicious as it is, it also serves as a brilliant base for customisation. Why not try one of these variations?

• Chocolate Chip: Gently fold 150g of your favourite chocolate chips (milk, dark, or white) into the finished batter just before pouring it into the tin.
• Nutty Crunch: For a lovely textural contrast, mix in 100g of chopped pecans or walnuts.
• Cinnamon Sugar Topping: Just before baking, stir together 1 tablespoon of caster sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter for a delightfully sweet and crunchy crust.

Enjoying a warm slice of banana bread is a delight in itself, but it also makes a wonderful dessert after a comforting family meal. For a simple and tasty dinner idea, why not try our Garlic Parmesan Chicken Pasta or our Creamy Garlic Penne Pasta? A slice of this lovely loaf is the perfect way to round things off.

How to Store Your Banana Bread

To maintain its wonderful moisture, proper storage is key. After the loaf has cooled completely, wrap it snugly in cling film or place it inside an airtight container. It will stay fresh at room temperature for up to four days. It also freezes beautifully. You can wrap the entire loaf (or individual slices) first in cling film and then in a layer of foil. It will keep perfectly in the freezer for up to three months.

FAQ

Your Go-To Banana Bread Is Here!

We truly believe this recipe will become your new go-to for banana bread. It is reliable, utterly delicious, and fills your home with that wonderful, cosy scent of baking. It’s a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly special.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and rescue those browning bananas and give this easy moist banana bread recipe a go. We’d be thrilled to hear how you get on, so please do leave a comment and a rating below to let us know!

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Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 50-60 mins
1 Loaf (10 slices)

Ingredients

• 3 large, very ripe bananas, mashed
• 115g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
• 100g (1/2 cup) light brown soft sugar, packed
• 50g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
• 1 large free-range egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 190g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour a 2lb (9×5 inch) loaf tin, or line it with baking parchment.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Add the melted butter, light brown sugar, and caster sugar, then whisk until thoroughly blended.
3. Whisk in the room-temperature egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
4. Sift the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and ground cinnamon (if using) directly into the bowl.
5. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula until just incorporated. Do not overmix; a few streaks of flour are fine.
6. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin and level the surface.
7. Bake on the middle shelf for 50–60 minutes. The loaf is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with foil for the final 10-15 minutes.
8. Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.