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Best Ever Banana Bread

This is the Best Ever Banana Bread my family has ever had. It’s taken us 14 years of recipe experimenting but we finally figured out what the missing secret ingredient was to the perfect banana bread!

 

Best Ever Banana Bread - Main image for website of bread in pan at side angle

 

As I sit here typing this, I have two loaves of this exact banana bread in the oven.

Posting this recipe has been on my to do list FOREVER.

Sadly though, I’ve cut back this year on how many recipes I have been posting due to being ill due to pregnancy.

And in cutting back, this just fell by the wayside.  UNTIL TODAY!

I have ripe bananas sitting on my counter and told my husband today that I was going to make Banana Bread.

 

Best Ever Banana Bread - in pan side angle shot

 

His response, was a bit humerus because of my “job” as a food blogger.

He asked, do you mean normal banana bread or some funky recipe you’re trying out on us?

I giggled a little and told him that I was going to be making “normal” banana bread.

Heck, today I didn’t even add nuts or chocolate chips.  Just classic Best Ever Banana Bread.

On the upside, he fully agrees with me that this is the best banana bread.

 

Best Ever Banana Bread - sliced loaf looking down angle

 

We’ve been married for 17 years now, and in those 14 years, I’ve tried HUNDREDS of different banana bread recipes.

I’ve scoured cook books and the internet for the Best Ever Banana Bread and always come up short.

Until now.  And really I think, though I’m not 100% sure, but I think that the trick or secret ingredient to giving this banana bread the right texture as well as flavor was the flour.

Instead of traditional all-purpose flour, I used bread flour.

My entire family agrees that THIS recipe, though simple, is our favorite.  It’s the right color, flavor and texture.

 

Best Ever Banana Bread - Sliced and ready to be eaten - side angle view

 

And so as I sit here, patiently waiting for the bread to cook, my mouth salivates for that first slice of warm bread slathered with melted butter.

I suspect my 3 year old will want his slathered in Nutella and my husband may go with peanut butter.

However, I’m a simple girl.  Warm bread, melted butter, and I guarantee 3 slices will be down my throat before I even gasp for air.

If you love banana bread and haven’t found one that is quite right for you, give this one a try.  It’s my family’s favorite recipe and according to my husband, it’s completely normal.

 

Yield: 1 Loaf

Classic Banana Bread

Best Ever Banana Bread - bread in pan at side angle
4.5 Stars (37 Reviews)
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup salted butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup mashed bananas (2 medium ripe bananas)
  • 2 eggs
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 1/4 cup nuts or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325*F
Grease one 9 inch loaf pan and set aside.
Cream butter, sugar & bananas together well.
Add eggs and mix, scraping sides as needed.
Add salt and baking soda and mix again.
Add flour 1/2 cup at a time, scraping sides as needed.
Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 30 minutes.
Add foil to top of loaf and bake additional 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean.
Slice up, slather with butter and devour!

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Ty

Monday 31st of August 2026

Hi, I'm out of foil. Is that an issue?

Janelle

Thursday 15th of October 2026

Hi Ty! Not an issue at all! There are several options: Parchment paper or even the old trick of cooking spray and sugar to help prevent the bread from sticking. I hope you enjoyed this as much as we do!

Mabecca

Monday 27th of July 2026

Great recipe! I doubled the amount and used the overflow to a cornbread skillet, half the baking time. Added 20 min to the remaining loaf pan.

Janelle

Friday 16th of October 2026

Mabecca that is a GREAT idea and one I never would have thought of. Thank you for taking the time to leave a comment and inspire the rest of us to think outside the box!

ann

Friday 5th of December 2025

can i use salted butter

Janelle

Friday 24th of April 2026

Great question Ann! I use salted butter for EVERYTHING. I actually NEVER use unsalted butter. The amount of salt in butter is so small I've not noticed any difference myself.

Rainbow

Thursday 20th of June 2024

Made today. The time of baking while covered with aluminum foil was extended approximately 20 minutes. This was in response to baking thermometer temps. Tastes great. Doesn't look like the photos. The bottom half is similar to the photos but the top half is lighter in color. A taste test seems to reveal the top half has more of a banana taste than the bottom half. However - it is delicious according to my taste tester (husband). Thanks for the recipe.

Dee

Wednesday 21st of September 2022

Hi Janelle! I am so excited to have found this recipe because bread flour is the only flour I have in the pantry today and all the recipes called for all-purpose! It’s in the oven right now and my house smells like banana heaven. 😋 I noticed no brown sugar, which is usually a banana bread staple. Any reason why? Thank you for posting! Dee

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