Stop the presses! Or should I say, stop searching blog after blog for the best banana recipe, because you’ve finally found it – the only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need. There are few things more comforting than baking a banana bread on a Sunday afternoon, letting your house fill with the scent of warm baked goods and barely being able to let it cool before you sneak a slice off the end (the best part!). I almost always buy more bananas than I need to because I know I won’t eat them all, and a lucky few will be kept for that spot in the freezer dedicated to the over-ripe ones whose destiny was banana bread.
The recipe below is so simple you’ll have it memorized in no time and weave in banana bread baking into your Sunday routine. It uses oil instead of butter, which I find keeps it moist for longer (not that I can’t help myself from eating all of it in a matter of a few days). The best thing about the recipe is it’s pretty forgiving – you don’t have to worry about over mixing, having a bunch of separate bowls (aka – more dishes), or about being super precise with the measurements, and that’s why it’s the best banana bread recipe of all time!
Once you get the base down, the additions are endless; I added coconut and chocolate chips to this one, but I love throwing in a handful of whatever I have on hand – toasted walnuts, pepitas, flax seeds – the world is your oyster (but chocolate is always a must for me!).
Best Banana Bread
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white or brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup oil
- 3 1/2 bananas, very ripe, mashed
- ¼ cup milk (regular or almond work, or some yogurt or even water if you’re in a pinch!)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Set the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease the bottom of a loaf pan with oil or spray.
Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Beat sugar and eggs with a whisk until light and fluffy, a few minutes. Drizzle in oil. Add mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla. Fold in dry ingredients and chocolate. Add a few more chocolate chips for good measure. Pour into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Let cool on a wire rack until you don’t burn your hands when you touch it, then dig in!
Enjoy!
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook!
Contributor
Aleshia Pinto is a food blogger and carb enthusiast, who creates recipes aimed at bringing people together. Her blog, less with bread, is a collection of traditional and non traditional Italian recipes inspired by the seasons and current cravings. On any given day, she can be found planning her next dinner series or daydreaming about pasta!
Original content © 2020 Super Simple. Not to be reprinted without express written permission. Terms of Service.
