Sliced homemade Banana Bread loaf on a wooden cutting board, showcasing its moist, tender crumb and golden brown crust, perfect for breakfast, snacking, or dessert.

This banana bread comes out soft and tender, with a rounded, full banana flavor in every bite. It stays moist for days rather than drying out after the first, so it's just as good sliced on day three as it is warm from the oven.

Jump to Recipe

Table of Contents

Why This Recipe Works
Ingredients For Banana Bread
Substitutions
How To Ripen Bananas Fast
How to Make Banana Bread
Add-Ins
Storing Banana Bread
JUMP TO RECIPE

In This Post

This banana bread stays moist for days, not just the afternoon you bake it. Buttermilk does the work with this simple but creative recipe, keeping the crumb tender long after a regular loaf starts drying out at the edges.

Thick slices of homemade Banana Bread with a golden-brown crust arranged on parchment paper over a wooden board, highlighting the moist, tender crumb and buttery texture.

Most banana bread recipes lean entirely on mashed bananas for flavor, which is fine until the bananas aren't quite ripe enough or you want more banana in every bite. A little banana extract fixes that. It's optional, but it's the difference between a lackluster flavor and one that's better than you expected.

You'll also notice this bread bakes in two stages, uncovered first, then tented with foil. That's not a fussy extra step. It's what keeps the top from browning before the center's actually done, so you get a loaf that's fully baked all the way through instead of gummy in the middle.

Why This Recipe Works

The buttermilk is doing more than adding moisture. Its acidity reacts with the baking soda for extra lift, and it keeps the crumb tender for days. Most banana bread recipes use milk or nothing at all, which is part of why they dry out after a day and a half.

Creaming the butter and sugar first, rather than just melting and stirring everything together, builds air into the batter before the flour ever goes in. That's what gives this loaf a lighter crumb instead of the dense, wet texture banana bread can be prone to.

Ingredients For Banana Bread

Ingredients for homemade Banana Bread arranged on a white background with text labels showing 2 large eggs, 2 cups flour, 1 cup mashed bananas, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 cup brown sugar, ½ cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp banana extract, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt.

Here's what you'll need for this loaf. A few notes below the list on the ingredients that matter most.

1 cup mashed bananas, about 3 small or 2 large
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon banana extract, optional but delicious

Ingredient Notes:

The mashed banana is measured, not counted. Bananas vary a lot in size, so "3 bananas" isn't as reliable as measuring out 1 cup. It's worth taking the extra minute to measure, since too much banana adds more moisture than the batter can handle, and might leave the center gummy.

The buttermilk isn't optional here. It's what keeps this loaf moist for days instead of just the first one, and it reacts with the baking soda to help the bread rise. If you don't have any on hand, we'll cover a substitute in the Substitutions section.

Room-temperature butter and eggs matter more than usual in this recipe. Since the butter and sugar get creamed together rather than melted and stirred, cold ingredients won't cream properly, and that affects how well the loaf rises.

Substitutions

No buttermilk? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes before using. It won't have quite the same tang, but it'll still react with the baking soda and keep the loaf moist.

No banana extract? Leave it out. The real bananas are still doing most of the flavor work, and the loaf will taste like classic banana bread without it.

No unsalted butter? Salted butter works. Just leave out the added kosher salt, or cut it to a pinch, so the loaf doesn't end up too salty.

How To Ripen Bananas Fast

If your bananas aren't ripe enough yet, you can bake them unpeeled on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 300°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until they're darkly blackened and soft to the touch.

Once they're out of the oven, open them up and gently mash them in a bowl. This helps the heat escape faster, so they cool down sooner. Just let them cool completely before adding them to your batter.

How to Make Banana Bread

FIRST STEP: Preheat your oven to 375°F. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with baker's spray, then line it with a piece of parchment paper, leaving about 2 to 3 inches overhanging the long sides. That overhang makes it easy to lift the loaf out once it's baked.

SECOND STEP: Mash the bananas in a small bowl, then stir in the buttermilk. Set it aside while you prep everything else.

Mashed bananas combined with buttermilk in a glass mixing bowl for Banana Bread, creating the wet ingredient mixture before it is added to the batter.

THIRD STEP: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.

FOURTH STEP: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for 30 seconds to a minute, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and banana extract.

FIFTH STEP: Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until it's incorporated. Add the banana mixture and mix until combined, then add the rest of the flour and mix it in. This is the step where it's worth slowing down. Mixing past the point where the flour disappears is what leads to a dense, chewy loaf instead of a tender one.

Banana Bread batter fully mixed in a large glass bowl with an electric hand mixer, showing a thick, smooth batter ready to be transferred to a loaf pan for baking.

SIXTH STEP: Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes uncovered, then tent the loaf with foil and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I highly recommend using the foil tent - it keeps the top from browning before the center's fully baked.

Freshly baked Banana Bread cooling in a loaf pan on a wire rack, showing a golden brown crust with the signature crack across the top.

SEVENTH STEP: Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment so the bread can finish cooling on all sides, and let it cool completely before slicing.

Add-Ins

I'm a fan of cleaning out my cupboard when I make banana bread, and tossing in whatever I can find. If you like adding to your banana bread too, fold any of these into the batter along with the flour in the last mixing step.

Chocolate chips — ½ cup to 1 cup, mini or regular
Chopped walnuts or pecans — ½ cup to ¾ cup, toasted if you want more flavor
Cinnamon — ½ to 1 teaspoon, added with the dry ingredients
Shredded coconut — ½ cup, unsweetened

A quick note to keep in mind: adding more than about 1 cup of mix-ins can throw off the batter's structure, so it's best to stick to one add-in at a time rather than combining a few.

If you really love adding chocolate to your banana bread, you'll probably love this full-out chocolate banana bread recipe.

Slice of moist homemade Banana Bread generously spread with butter on a white plate, with additional slices and butter cubes in the background for a cozy breakfast serving.

How To Serve

Banana bread is good on its own, but a few minutes of extra effort turns it into someting dessert-worthy. A warm slice with a pat of butter melting into it is the simplest version, and honestly still the best one if you ask me.

For breakfast, serve it alongside eggs or Greek yogurt so it's part of a meal.

For brunch, it holds up well next to something savory like bacon or a breakfast casserole.

As a snack, keep it simple with a slice on its own and a cup of coffee or tea, or spread on a little peanut butter if you want something more filling.

More Banana Recipes ⭐ Banana Fudge | Banana Pudding | Banana Crumble

Whole homemade Banana Bread loaf with a golden brown crust cooling on parchment paper over a wooden cutting board, ready to slice and serve.

Storing Banana Bread

Room Temperature - Once the bread has cooled completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It'll stay moist for up to 4 days this way, thanks to the buttermilk in the batter.

In The Fridge - For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for up to a week. It's worth letting a slice come back to room temperature before eating, since cold banana bread firms up and loses some of that tender texture.

In The Freeezer - To freeze, wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before slicing. This bread freezes well, so it's worth making a double batch and freezing the second loaf for later.

Banana Bread

Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by !

No ratings yet

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 55

Total Time 1 5

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 305 kcal

Ingredients

1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 small or 2 large)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup light brown sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, (room temperature)
2 large eggs, (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon banana extract, (optional but adds a lot of flavor)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with baker's spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving 2 to 3 inches overhanging the long sides. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mash the bananas. Add the buttermilk and combine. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on medium-low speed, cream the butter and sugar for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then add the vanilla and banana extract.
Add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix just until incorporated. Add the banana mixture and mix just until combined. Add the remaining flour and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then tent with aluminum foil and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out onto a cooling rack. Remove the parchment and let it cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Measure the 1 cup of mashed banana rather than relying on banana count. Sizes vary a lot between bananas, and too much banana adds excess moisture that can leave the loaf gummy in the center.
To ripen bananas quickly, bake them unpeeled on a parchment-lined baking sheet at 300°F for 30 to 40 minutes, until darkly blackened and soft to the touch. Open and gently mash them in a bowl to help them cool faster, and let them cool completely before adding to the batter.
The foil tent starting at the 30-minute mark is important. It keeps the top from browning before the center finishes baking, which is the main reason banana bread turns out gummy in the middle.
Room-temperature butter and eggs matter here since the butter and sugar are creamed rather than melted and stirred. Cold ingredients won't cream properly, which affects the rise.
This bread stores well at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. This bread freezes well. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 3 months.
No buttermilk on hand? Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup milk and let it sit 5 minutes before using.
Optional add-ins: ½ to 1 cup chocolate chips, ½ to ¾ cup toasted walnuts or pecans, ½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut.

Find the complete recipe at: thebestblogrecipes.com/banana-bread/

Nutrition

HAVE YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE?Follow me on Pinterest @bestblogrecipes