A moist banana bread recipe is always a crowd-pleaser! Here’s a simple and delicious recipe that should give you the perfect texture and flavor:
Ingredients:
- 2-3 ripe bananas (mashed)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 cup sugar (you can use brown sugar for extra richness)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas: In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Leave a few small chunks if you like texture.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add the melted butter to the mashed bananas, and stir in the sugar. Then add the eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk, and mix until combined.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add optional mix-ins: If you’re using walnuts, chocolate chips, or any other additions, gently fold them into the batter.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can cover it loosely with foil.
- Cool: Let the banana bread cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips:
- Banana ripeness: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. Overripe bananas with spots are ideal.
- Moisture: Buttermilk or yogurt helps create a moist crumb, but if you don’t have it, regular milk works too.
- Storage: Keep your banana bread covered at room temperature for a couple of days, or store it in the fridge to keep it fresh longer. It also freezes really well!
Enjoy that warm slice with a cup of tea or coffee. Have you tried adding any mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts to your banana bread before?
