This Easy Banana Bread Recipe is the absolute BEST! It is moist, packed with bananas, sweetened with brown sugar, and baked in a square pan for even and quick cooking. No mixer needed, grab a bowl and whisk, this bread is ready in under 30 minutes.
If you asked me what I bake most often, the answer would undoubtedly be banana bread. It took me years, and dozens of recipes, before I found the one that I’m sharing here. It became an immediate reader favorite and family staple.
For years, I have been on a search for the PERFECT Banana Bread. I wanted a recipe that is simple, with no fancy ingredients, and no trendy technique. Just a flat-out delicious Banana Bread that bakes up perfectly every single time. HERE IT IS!
This recipe is also the base for our Banana Nut Muffins and our Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
Jump to:
What makes this recipe the best
- Bananas – This banana bread is absolutely loaded with bananas. I use 3-4 overripe bananas to make this bread sweet, moist, and undeniably banana-flavored.
- Brown sugar – The only sugar used in this bread is brown sugar. It is in the batter and it gets sprinkled on top before baking. The brown sugar gives the bread a deeper flavor and almost caramel-like sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – Banana and vanilla is a match made in heaven! Two teaspoons of vanilla extract lend an underlying vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with the banana.
- Square pan – This here is the game changer. I bake the banana bread in a 9×9 square cake pan instead of a loaf pan. This allows the bread to bake in as little as 20 minutes (as opposed to 1 hour in a loaf pan). Plus, no worrying about overcooking the edges and undercooking the center. Since it is not a loaf, it bakes evenly every time. Note: If you’d prefer using a different size pan there are instructions below.
Recipe overview
*Full detailed recipe below in the recipe card.*
Whisk melted butter and brown sugar. Add mashed banana, vanilla, and eggs.
Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt.
Pour the batter into a greased 9×9 square pan and sprinkle the top with brown sugar. Bake until golden brown and cooked through.
Tips: baking with bananas
It’s important that you use overripe bananas for this recipe. The skin of the bananas should have brown speckles or even be turning dark brownish-black. This ensures that the bananas mash smoothly and are extra sweet.
You will need 3-4 bananas (2 cups mashed).
Mash the bananas using a fork or potato masher.
I mash the bananas on a paper plate then fold the plate in half and slide the mashed banana into the measuring cup.
Healthier options
Prefer your Banana Bread on the healthier side? I have made the following changes with success:
- Reduce the brown sugar to ½ cup (in the batter). I still recommend sprinkling brown sugar on top.
- Swap the melted butter for melted coconut oil or mild olive oil.
- Reduce the melted butter/oil to 6 tablespoons.
- Swap ¾ cup of all purpose flour for whole wheat flour.
- Add a generous handful of chopped walnuts to the batter for a boost of omega-3’s.
Different pan sizes
The recipe instructions are for a 9×9 square pan (my preference), but you can also use the following:
- Muffins: Divide batter between 12 greased muffin cups, adjust bake time to about 15 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- 8×8 square: Adjust bake time to 35-45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- Loaf pan (9×5): Adjust bake time to 45-55 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
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Recipe
Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar, make sure it is fresh and soft
- 2 large eggs
- 2 scant cups mashed very ripe bananas, about 3-4 bananas
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup light brown sugar (more, if desired), for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter and ⅔ cup brown sugar until well combined, about 1 minute. Add eggs, mashed banana, and vanilla, whisking until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and use a rubber spatula to lightly stir the batter until no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to over mix.
- Grease a 9×9 square baking pan and add the batter to the pan. Smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle the top of the batter with ¼ cup (or more) brown sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating once during the bake time. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool.
Video
Notes
- Muffins: Divide batter between 12 greased muffin cups, adjust bake time to about 15 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- 8×8 square: Adjust bake time to 35-45 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
- Loaf pan (9×5): Adjust bake time to 45-55 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean).
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
JoNell
I made this recipe in the 8×8 pan and it was delicious. I love pecans so I added pecan pieces to the batter. I didn’t add the additional brown sugar to the top. Very easy and quick recipe. Will definitely make it again.
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Alyssa
Absolutely delicious! I have made this with the Splenda brown sugar blend and it turns out great. My favorite banana bread recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
Jane Urman
Easily the BEST banana bread I’ve ever tasted. I used the “healthy” recipe so reduced the brown sugar and butter content according to the recipe. I decided to make muffins so I could easily just pull out a muffin from the freezer when I wanted it. Because it made 12 full size muffins I’m not sure how the nutrition specs apply but I would assume that one muffin is smaller than a slice of the bread because I don’t think you would necessarily get 12 slices from the loaf. Maybe you can depending on the thickness of the slice. I did put brown sugar on the top and boy what a wonderful taste. As one reviewer mentioned next time I make this recipe I may try the Splenda brown sugar as I do want to minimize my sugar intake. By the way, it took 25 minutes to bake rather than the stated 15 minutes for muffins, but then all ovens vary in temperatures and I did use paper muffin holders in the muffin tin.
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks for sharing your experience. Happy baking!
Tracy O'Connell
Hi, I plan to try this recipe. Can you tell me whether it freezes well? I love make-aheads. Thank you!
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Tracy. Yes, it does freeze well. I find that the brown sugar topping softens after freezing and thawing, but other than that it is fine. Enjoy!
Sylvia
This was by far the best banana bread we’ve (my 9 year old daughter) made, great texture and so easy! Thank you. She was very proud of the result!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Steph
I made this recipe using a 8×8 glass pan baked at 350 for 35 minutes and it came out great!!! I like to drizzle vanilla frosting over the top of banana bread. That combined with the brown sugar topping was amazing!!
Celebrating Sweets
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Josephine Ramsey
Can this be made in a bundt pan?
Celebrating Sweets
I don’t think it will be enough batter for a standard bundt pan. You can use this banana bundt cake recipe (it’s very popular).
Kimberly Calhoun
Great & Easy recipe. I added some fresh picked blueberries to the batter & whole wheat flour. Delicious!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Daria Zlobinskaya
Hi! Your recipe is now a staple for me. I never baked anything in my life until this banana bread came along. Wow, for someone who sucks at cooking (being brutally candid at my skills) and recently got into it, my friends were amazed! Perfectly moist, and delicious. They freeze quite well, and I found that wrapping each individual piece in parchment paper preserved it so well. Even out of the freezer they were nice and moist and delicious! Thank you so much!!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Ayindia
I absolutely love this recipe! I was at a friend’s house and didn’t have a measuring cup, so I basically eyeballed it (don’t do what I did) but it was still just as amazing! It’s so easy and taste incredible! It was just something me and my friend wanted to do quickly but we are definitely making this again in the future!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Jane Urman
P.S. to my comment about the muffins I made – I added some chopped walnuts to the batter (not too much though) and it just added to the enjoyment. I froze the muffins and they’re just as good as when they were fresh. Making muffins is a great way to control portion size. This recipe is so good that if I made it into a loaf I would probably cut the slices too thick, but if I was making it for company I would make it into a loaf.