The wait is finally over! After weeks of testing, tweaking and plenty of tasting, my banana bread recipe is finally ready to share. Crispy golden top, caramelised sides, and a soft crumb with big banana flavours that slices like a dream. Let’s go!
Nagi's Notes
JB’s Banana Bread has landed! I’ve published over 2,000 recipes and this is the one and only I haven’t tasted – because bananas and I are not friends. 🙈 But I know this is the banana bread to end all banana breads – because it’s JB’s. The feedback has been off the charts, including a big tick from the toughest critic on our team, my brother Goh. If you love banana bread, this is the one that all others aspire to be. Enjoy!
Banana Bread
“Now we can post banana bread!” Those were Nagi’s words when we agreed that I was going to start publishing recipes under my name. So, my friends, now is the time! Those spotty, forgotten bananas on your bench are about to be put to good use.
I must admit, before starting working on this recipe, I didn’t have a go-to banana bread recipe. But I’ve eaten plenty of them, so I knew exactly what I was after. I had a clear idea of the flavour, the texture and the ingredients I wanted, after that, it was just a matter of testing, tweaking and baking again (and again!) until it was just right. The RecipeTin Eats way.
My first tests turned out well, and I was happy with the results. But then we decided that it should be a taller loaf. That’s when I ran into few difficulties finishing the recipe. The centre of the loaf was taking longer to cook, which meant the sides were starting to dry out. And the more you test, the more questions you create. Can we make it better? What happens if we change this? Suddenly the list of iterations grows. Different sugars, different spices, more eggs, less flour, no butter, more oil, baking powder instead of baking soda, shorter bake, longer bake, covered, uncovered. As we always say, the last 5% is always the hardest. That’s the part that makes it perfect. But 30 something banana breads later, here we are with a great recipe I am ready to share. 😊
Ingredients
Let’s talk about the bananas! They don’t have to be very overripe. Spotty or mostly brown bananas work the best because they are sweeter, but I’ve also tested this recipe with just-ripe ones, yellow, with no brown at all, and the result was just as good.
1. Bananas
Bananas – The main character here. Use the regular bananas you see at your store every day. As I said above, I’ve tested this recipe with bananas at every stage, just-ripe and yellow, lightly spotted, heavily dotted and fully overripe, even blacker than the one shown above. They all worked well. The riper the banana, the sweeter and stronger the flavour, but even firm yellow bananas will give you a soft loaf with great banana taste.
2. Dry ingredients
Flour – Plain flour / all-purpose flour – Gives the bread its structure.
Baking soda – Also known as bi-carbonate of soda, it makes the loaf rise and keeps it light. Baking powder doesn’t work as well. The banana bread wouldn’t rise as much and its texture would be different.
Cinnamon and allspice powder – My favourite spice mix for this recipe. Cinnamon brings warm sweetness, while allspice adds a gentle depth and a hint of clove and nutmeg flavour.
Salt – cooking salt / kosher salt. It brings out the flavours of the other ingredients.
3. Wet Ingredients
Brown sugar – I use only brown sugar for its light caramel flavour and extra moisture. It gives the bread a deeper taste and helps keep the crumb soft and tender. I did also test with a combination of white and brown sugar but found the texture and colour of the banana bread wasn’t as good.
- Eggs – 2 whole + 1 yolk, the whole eggs act as a binder and the yolk brings a little richness which was needed to give the crumb extra moisture without making it heavy. Use room temperature ones, large size (55g/2 ounces each).
Butter – Adds the rich, buttery flavour we all love.
Oil – Keeps the bread soft longer. It would be drier if we only use butter. Any neutral flavour oil can be used.
- Sour cream – As with the oil, the fat in sour cream helps create a soft crumb and prevent the bread from drying out. More importantly, its mild acidity is the key element needed for the baking soda to react and create the beautiful banana bread rise. Yoghurt is a great substitute. Avoid milk or buttermilk, they are thinner and can change the batter consistency, leading to a looser structure.
Vanilla – rounds out and enhances the flavour.
How To Make Banana Bread
The method here is simple and straightforward, no special equipment needed. Just mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and combine them together gently. The key is not to overmix the batter, so the loaf stays soft and tender. Once it’s in the oven, all that is left to do is let the smell of banana bread fill your kitchen and enjoy. Unless your name is Nagi The Banana Hater.
1. Lining the pan
Scrunch a 40 cm / 16″ long sheet of baking / parchment paper, it becomes softer and makes it easier to press and stay in the pan.
Fit the paper into a loaf pan (21.5 x 11.5 x 7 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 x 2.75″). There’s no need to grease the pan to make the paper stick, just fit it in, the batter will weight it down. Leave overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
2. Making the batter and bake
Dry – Whisk the dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice).
Mash bananas – In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
Wet – Then add all the wet ingredients (brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, oil, sour cream, vanilla) and whisk until combined. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Combine – Use a rubber spatula to mix until the flour is just incorporated. Having a few little flour lumps is ok, it’s better than overmixing which will make your banana bread firmer rather than soft.
Fill pan – Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
Bake – Put the banana bread into the oven preheated to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Then bake for 70 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean (turning the pan around halfway through cooking). While cooking, a crack will naturally appear along the top of your banana bread. The centre continues to expand, it pushes through the firm crust, creating that classic split. It’s totally normal.
Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. The loaf should be nicely risen with a well-browned top and a crack along the centre.
- Lift out and place on a wire rack. Let it cool for at least an hour before slicing. If you plan storing it for later, you will need to let the banana bread cool completely, this can take up to 6 hours. If you don’t, the residual heat will make the crust soggy and create excess moisture that will affect texture and shorten the shelf life. That said, if you urgently need a slice while it’s still warm, I completely understand! Just expect it to be a little softer and more delicate. 😊
How To Serve Banana Bread
This banana bread is delicious slightly warmed or at room temperature. But the most common way and still the best way is lightly toasted with a little butter on top. It works perfectly for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a quick snack during the day. If you want to turn it into a dessert, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of Chantilly cream and some chocolate sauce.
This recipe took a lot of testing, but I’m happy with the result, a soft, tender loaf with great banana flavour that works every time. Simple ingredients, simple method, and a banana bread you can rely on.
I hope you enjoy baking and eating this one as much as I did. If you make it, please let me know how it turns out. Happy baking and bon appétit! – JB
FAQ – Banana Bread
Yes. Make sure to thaw them completely first before mashing them.
Both works. Overripe bananas (with lots of brown spots or even brown all-over) will give a sweeter, stronger banana flavour. Just-ripe yellow bananas also work well, the flavour will be a little lighter, but the texture will still be as soft and tender.
I haven’t tested this recipe with chocolate chips or nuts yet, but I’ll give it a go soon and update the post with the results.
Yes. Let the loaf cool completely, then slice it first and wrap the slices individually. This way, you can take out only what you need. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm a slice gently in the microwave or oven before serving.
Watch How To Make It
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JB’s Banana Bread
Ingredients
Dry Batter Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 cup plain flour / all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda , sifted (bi-carbonate soda) (Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (half for table salt, +50% for flakes)
- 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp allspice powder
Wet Batter Ingredients:
- 4 medium ripe banana (400g / 14oz peeled) (makes 1 3/4 cup once puréed) (Note 2)
- 1 tightly packed cup brown sugar
- 2 large egg + 1 egg yolk , at room temperature (~55g/2oz shell-on weight)
- 1/3 cup sour cream , full fat best (Note 3)
- 80g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter , melted
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Preheat oven and line loaf pan. Whisk dry ingredients together. In a seperate bowl, mash bananas, then mix in the rest of wet ingredients. Add dry to wet and mix gently until just combined. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) 70 minutes.
FULL RECIPE
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Arrange the shelf so the loaf will sit in the middle of the oven.
- Prepare the pan – Scrunch a 40 cm / 16" sheet of baking / parchment paper and press it into a loaf pan (21.5 x 11.5 x 7 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 x 2.75"), leaving overhang on the sides for easy lifting.
MAKING THE BATTER AND BAKE
- Whisk dry – Mix dry ingredients in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice until well combined.
- Mash Bananas – In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher until mostly smooth. Measure out 1 3/4 cups – save the excess for your morning smoothie. (Note 4)
- Add wet – Add the brown sugar, eggs, extra yolk, sour cream, melted butter, oil and vanilla. Whisk until combined.
- Add dry – Pour the dry ingredients into the wet. Fold gently with a spatula until the flour is just incorporated. Having a few little flour lumps is ok, it's better than overmixing which will make your banana bread firmer rather than soft.
- Fill pan – Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake – Put the banana bread in the oven and bake for 70 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean (turning the pan around halfway through cooking). While cooking, a crack will naturally appear along the top of your banana bread. The centre continues to expand, it pushes through the firm crust, creating that classic split. (Note 5)
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift out, and place on a wire rack. Let it cool for an hour before slicing. (Note 6)
- Serving – Serve banana bread slices slightly warm or at room temperature. It’s great on its own, or spread with a little butter. Perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a quick snack any time of the day.
Recipe Notes:
- Just ripe (yellow, no spots): light banana flavour, less sweetness.
- Ripe (yellow with a few brown spots): balanced flavour and sweetness.
- Overripe (lots of brown spots or mostly brown): deeper banana flavour and more natural sweetness.
Nutrition Information:
In Memory of Dozer
This photo was taken before I officially joined RecipeTin Eats. At the time, I was catering a team lunch for them. Just another job, or so I thought. It was one of the very first time I met Dozer. From the moment I stepped into the kitchen, he planted himself right next to me and stayed there almost the entire lunch, observing and supervising. I thought he was finding his bearings as the new sous-chef… but really, he was the head chef. 🦮 ♥️
I made this for my charity volunteering session today. Went down a treat! Thanks JB 👏😌
I’m so happy!! 🙂
Made this last night. Absolutely superb. Toasted with LASHINGS of butter this morning. Winner winner JB.
Thank you KB!! 🙂
Oh JB what a delight to get myself “certified banana bread recipe”! For me, reciptineats is my certified food recipe ‘go to’ – for lack of a better phrase. I love love banana bread.
And thank you for those Dozer 🐕😍delights as well. My love to Nagi🤗
Thank you Annette!! 🙂 Hope you like it!
So I had a very bad day when I started this. Dropped my glass jar of starter and smashed it to bits. Unrelated but terrible. Then poured the banana cake mix right down the side of the pan. Scraped it all out and started again with a clean pan. Did the same thing again. Scraped it out and started again with a clean pan. In the oven. Oh yay. Turned to clean the bench and there was the melted butter. Crap. Yanked the pan out of the oven. Tipped it out again. Mixed in the butter with great difficulty. Back in the oven. And it STILL came out perfect. What a recipe this is. Thank you !!
Wow Dyan! You just made it super foolproof!!
I made this and it’s the best recipe I’ve found, so yum. I didn’t have enough bananas so used a finely sliced jazz apple plus added walnuts. Really nice, stays super moist too. Thx JB
Hi Dave, thank you for your compliment! Goog job adapting the recipe to your need!
Bloody beautiful. Never making it again 😉
Haha, thanks Kaye!!
Thank you, JB for the comprehensive instructions… fail-proof! I love it…a nerd for this! Going to get bananas today to make this. I know it’s going to be great! Thank you! 💕💕💕
Thanks Jacqui! I’m glad you find the instructions easy to follow 🙂
Thank you JB for the comprehensive instructions for it be fail-proof! I love it…a nerd for this! Going to get bananas today to make this. I know it’s going to be great! Thank you! 💕💕💕
Ah, the long awaited Banana Bread recipe. Was so excited when this came out (thanks JB!)
I am very happy to say it didn’t disappoint! I am so happy to finally have a Banana bread recipe that comes out high with a puffy top, not sad and flat. The little hint of spices is a great touch, don’t leave them out! I made it exactly to recipe this time but in future I will reduce the sugar as I do with my old Banana bread go to recipe. Hopefully I can reduce without ruining it because it has a beautiful soft crumb and like I said, big high top just like at the cafe!
Thanks Rachel for the lovely message!
I was 100g short of plain flour, so used 100g of wholemeal flour and it still came out perfectly. Took about 77 mins to cook for me. Very yum, like cafe banana bread. I think it tastes even better a day later
Thanks Louise for your kind feedback, I’m glad it was a hit 🙂
Every time I would go to make banana bread, I would check the RTE website to see if Nagi had added her own version- And maybe I’d missed the email update.
With sadness I’d go back to my mediocre banana bread recipe. Then on Tuesday I got the email! RTE now has banana bread! 😲
I whipped up JBs banana bread last night and it was a dream to make! And the instructions so easy to follow. As an added bonus I’ve just started working with my own freshly milled flour in the last couple of weeks and I love that this recipe didn’t need any tweaking and was perfect straight out the oven!
It tasted amazing toasted and loaded up with cream, maple syrup and fresh berries for breakfast this morning! 🤤
Thanks JB and Nagi!
As Nagi said, the banana bread to end them all!
Thank you so much for the compliment Kyra! I’m glad to will your go-to for now 🙂
Bjr jb,je vais essayer ta recette aujourdhui ,jai hate de le gouter,j’ai essayer tout les recettes de pain au banane ,mais aucun m’as donner un big tick.merci beaucoup de le partager.will mon fils et moi te fait des gros bisous.a+,passe une bonne journée.bisous et virtual hug à nagi osi.we think of her dearly.merci
Merci Jess, c’est très gentil. Je suis ravi que la recette the plaise ♥️
Perfection JB – came out exactly like the pic.
Perfect!!!!!! Thanks Polly 🙂
I can’t wait to try JB’s banana bread. It sounds amazing!! If I substitute vegie oil for olive oil, would that make much difference please?
Hi Carolyn, it would only change the taste 🙂
Yesterday, I made this Banana bread.
Only change I did was swapped whole milk yogurt for sour cream.
It is really good, and not so sweet,
Thank you, and this will be my go to banana bread recipe!
Thank you for the compliment Chitra!! 🙂
It would be helpful if you’d also give flour by weight. I often sub fine wholemeal flour & have great success by matching weight rather than measure. Thanks!
Hi Julie, the weight measurements are there. Just click on the “metric” button located under the “ingredients” title in the recipe card . 🙂
I made it yesterday but had to alter the recipe to my dietary needs (vegan and gluten-free), and it turned out great.
I used a gf all-purpose flour, vegan sour cream, and vegan butter. Voila…piece of cake ops bread. 🥖💕
Absolutely amazing ❤️ I just had to switch the sour cream for greek yogurt, since it’s hard to get here. But it worked fine.
What did you use to replace the eggs?
Amazing, perfect first time. My boys loved it as did all their rugby team at the tournament! This will become a lunchbox staple
Thanks Heidi! I hope it helped winning the games! 🙂
Just baked the banana bread this evening, and the house is smelling devine, I really do want to cut into it now and try it, but I’ll ll wait for it to cool down, it smells worth the wait.
Thank you JB for your time spent perfecting this recipe.
That’s amazing! Thank you Teena!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Unfortunately, it came out quite dry, and by the next day the texture was even worse. I have been baking for many years and consider myself a semi-professional baker, so I was really looking forward to trying it, but sadly it didn’t meet my expectations.
Hi Katrin, thank you for leaving your feedback. I am sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you.