Best Ever Banana Bread Recipe
Save RecipeGet my chef-tested secrets and make this easy banana bread recipe featuring sweet banana flavor, a brown tender crust and soft cake-like interior
Hi Bold Bakers!
When it comes to comfort baking there is just nothing that can be compared to classic, easy Banana Bread recipe. Something about that toasty, sweet smell that fills the house always gets me. Banana Bread tends to be one of those recipes that you need a master recipe for, one that never fails you. If you’re like me you probably have your mum’s or granny’s Banana Bread recipe written on a scrap piece of paper that you occasionally misplace and then freak out when you can’t find it!
Well, freak out no more because I have your go-to, never-fail Best Ever Banana Bread recipe right here.
My Banana Bread Recipe Secrets
I have tried and tested so many Banana Bread recipes throughout my career. After time spent working in pastry and baking in restaurants to working in catering and now for myself, I have taken the best parts of all of the Banana Bread recipes I’ve ever created and combined them into one Best Banana Bread Recipe. Keep reading to find out the secrets to how you can get the best results.
How Do You Make Banana Bread
When I think of Homemade Banana Bread I think of the sweet hearty banana flavor, a brown toasty crust and a tender cake-like interior. To achieve that result, this recipe perfectly combines wholesome simple ingredients like sweet cinnamon, milk, ripe bananas, and a not so common ingredient: hearty oats.
The rolled oats soak up all the moisture and make for a soft and moist banana bread. This recipe contains eggs, but if you don’t eat eggs you can use my egg substitute chart for baking. Once you combine your wet and dry ingredients, make sure you only fold them together so you don’t over mix the batter and make it tough.
Making a Really Moist Banana Bread
In addition to adding oats to this recipe, flavorless oil like vegetable oil helps ensure you’ll get a really moist result. And here’s another secret trick: once you bake your banana bread, and you see a lovely golden brown color on top, take your bread out of the oven and cover it with aluminum foil while it’s still warm. Covering the bread with foil will steam the cake to make it extra soft and delicious, giving you a sticky top like you’d find in a gingerbread.
If you’re craving some serious home baked comfort food, I have you and your family covered with this recipe. Make sure to cut thick slices and enjoy it simply with butter. Once you give this Best Ever Banana Bread recipe a try, this will be your new go-to recipe.
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- 1½ cups (7 ½ oz/ 213g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ cup (2¼oz/64g) rolled oats (preferably quick-cooking)
- ⅔ cup (5oz/142g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (21/2floz/71ml) milk
- ¼ cup (2floz/57ml) flavorless oil (canola, vegetable, sunflower oil)
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 medium bananas , mashed
- Preheat your oven to 350oF (180oC)
- Prepare a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine your dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt)
- In a large bowl, combine your wet ingredients (eggs, milk, oil, vanilla and mashed bananas)
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix by hand just until combined. Do not over mix as this can make the banana bread tough.
- Pour the banana bread batter into the pan and bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick or cake-tester comes out clean. Enjoy!
- Store at room temperature wrapped in cling wrap for up to 3 days.
Watch the Recipe Video!
Meet Gemma
Hi Bold Bakers! I’m Gemma Stafford, a professional chef originally from Ireland, and I’m passionate about sharing my years of experience to show you how to make game-changing baking recipes with over-the-top results! Join more than 1 Million other Bold Bakers in the community for new video recipes every week!
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Gemma thank you so much for this recipe it is the best one I’ve ever tried. Moist, fluffy and delicious and those oats really make a difference. For anyone trying to sub the eggs in the recipe, I used one flax egg plus 1/4 cup of yoghurt which worked out just fine except for being a little crumby.
Hi there,
thank you, and thank you very much for your experience of the egg substitution here. I am a believer in mixing these up! Delighted to hear it,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma, great recipe. I love it so much!
Other recipes use butter but this one doesn’t. Is there a reason you don’t use butter? What does butter (or the lack of butter) do to the banana bread? I’m asking just out of curiosity!
Thank you!
Hi there,
This recipe uses oil, and this is to cater to people who need to avoid dairy. You can sub this out for butter too, use melted butter in the same quantity.
The banana in this recipe adds a lot of the richness too, so it works well.
I hope this is of help,
Gemma 🙂
Absolutely delicious 😋 I added chopped walnuts on top
Made the banana bread and OMG it’s super moist and delicious!
Thanks Gemma for the recipe!
I’m happy to hear it, Sonia. Well done to you!
Would this work well in a silicone form?
Thanks
Yes, it would Sarah. Give it a go!
Hi Gemma. Looks delicious. Can I use
wheat or spelt flour for this?
Hi Rachel,
I think not for all of the flour. Not impossible, but it may be a bit heavy.
A finely ground spelt may work well for you though, but again I would be tempted to do no more than 1/2 & !/2. There is a good reason why whole wheat flours were not used in sweet baking/fine baking, they simple are a little heavy for the job.
Do let us know if you try it, it will help others,
Gemma 🙂
Finally able to submit a picture for this awesome recipe. Took so long because this bread just disappears. It is so good! Almost had half the loaf left tonight 😁
Hi there,
Thank you for submitting your photo, I will be heading over there to take a look in a few minutes. It really helps other Bold bakers to see your results.
well done you,
Gemma 🙂
Hey gemma this is my first comment here😍
I made this delicious banana bread it’s yummyest bread i make everrrr
I love ur passion of loving food and bake and i love cooking too iAlways try something new from your recipes thank u for sharing 😍🙏🏻
Hi Tati,
Thank you for this lovely review of this recipe. I am happy to have you here with us. Feel free to comment, to add information from your place about ingredients, recipes etc, we love to hear from you.
Gemma 🙂
OMG!! This recipe is amazing I just made it and I love it, it’s going to be my staple bread. Thank you Gemma for sharing
🙂 I am delighted to hear that!
Hi Gemma
When ever I see the ingredient list the thing which confuses me the measurements
As per ur ingredients of banana bread one n half cup equals 213 gms but my one cup equals 250 gms .Why is that ????
Hi there,
this is indeed confusing.
Cup measurements are based on an informal system of measurement, prior to home weighing scales. People would share recipes based on their kitchen cups, it did not matter the weight of the ingredients, or the size of the cup, as long as the same cup was used to measure all of the ingredients, in any one kitchen. It a measure of volume. Once the balance is right, then all will be well. Different ingredients have different equivalent weights too, so rice will be different to sugar, cocoa to flour, and different flours will have a different weight too. Think Rocks and Feathers! So, the rule is simple, fill your cups in the same way, scoop/level/compress, however you choose, and the balance in the recipe will be good. It is not a good idea to mix cup measurements with another method, it is unnecessary, and will not be good for your recipes. You have to trust this system, if not, use your digital scales, it will be the most accurate of all!
Gemma 🙂
hello ms gem how are you?
me im so thankful because even im not a professional baker , your recipe is very helpful to me and to my family.. thank you so much.. my brother and sister like my banana bread but they want it moist,, how can made it moist.. ?what will i add . tnx and more power, emz23
Hi there,
I have a new recipe here too for banana bread, just posted, which is a very moist bread. The original recipe is also moist, but it is important to follow the recipes to get the best results. Either one of these recipes will fill the bill for your family.
Do you add the oats? quick oats work best for this bread. Without knowing how you are going about it I cannot really tell you what to change, the original recipe produces a soft moist bread as it is.
Not sure how I can help, do let me know,
Gemma 🙂
yes ms gem i add oats,, ( quick oats like instant oats? no i didnt used that)and i used your recipe,, the banana bread is healthy ,, but they like it moist..:)
sorry i just read back the recipe ,, nxttym i used quick oats,, thank u so much ms gem..Godbless..
Hello, Gemma! I tried this recipe today and it tastes really good. However, I would just like to know why my banana bread turned out flat without that lovely crack in the middle. 🙁 Did I miss anything or did I do anything wrong? Thank you Gemma!
Hi there,
Thank you for your kind words.
I think you may have over mixed it! If you do that you may get a dense tough bread. this applies to almost all baking, the gluten in the flour will develop if you over mix, and the bake becomes dense. Gently does it. Have the oven ready, and do not leave the bread hanging around, mix, pop into the pan, and into the oven.
I hope this is of help,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
Love your easy to follow recipes. Could you please let me know whether this recipe will work if i use coconut oil rather than vegetable oil?
Thank you.
Hi Charlene,
You need to look out for Olivia’s post coming up later today!
Coconut oil works really well in this type of bake, use it in liquid form. Wait to see Olivia’s post, it will help,
Gemma 🙂
I was not sure about this recipe – I like my banana bread dense and dark…but I like oats so I gave it a try. Oh my! Delicious, moist. Thanks for the foil tip. This one replaces my old in the family-favorites recipe box.
👍🏻😋❤️
Hi there,
Great! I am really delighted to hear this. Thank you for taking the trouble to let me know,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
I am making this right now. The 350F, is it with the fan on or not? I am using a convection oven. I asked because with 30 mins to go, I did a toothpick test and it seems cooked all the way through, nothing sticking on the toothpick. I used coconut oil but regular flour because it’s for the non-keto folks in my family. Btw, I am using a square pan (the loaf pan I ordered hasn’t arrived yet). Thanks again for your website, Gemma!
Hi Rochelle,
Thank you for telling me in detail how you worked this recipe. A square pan will make this a more shallow bake, so it will bake quicker for you.
I tend to use a fan assisted oven for lots of baking, and it does affect the time a bit, so keep an eye on it. Is this a different version of this bread? Trust your instincts though, when it is baked it is baked!
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma! Can I use buttermilk in this recipe? Thank you! Hugs from the Philippines! More power to you! 😘
Hi Andrea,
Yes, if you choose to, that will work well for you.
Thank you for the hugs, and good wishes, I am returning them to you,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma
Banana Bread out of the oven an 1hr ago, fabulous smell in the kitchen.
The boss just had a slice and loved it. Will save this recipe for future.
Picture submitted.
Tks..Tony
I’m going to check out your picture. Thanks for trying it, Tony 🙂
Best,
Gemma.
Hello! How many grams are 3 medium bananas? Also, what type of sugar should we use? Would brown sugar vs white sugar taste different? Thank you!!
I’m not actually sure Jessica. i write it down the last time I made it but I can’t find it. Don’t worry if you are a little over or under.
Brown sugar will give you a deeper, caramel flavor which will work well in your banana bread. 🙂
Best,
Gemma.
I love the recipe. So simple and easy. I might need to adjust the cinnamon cause some doesn’t like smell of cinnamon. Not too sweet. Although, I was not able to use loaf pan. instead i use a springform. lol. Thanks Gemma!
I made this also the other day. It’s just my favorite 🙂
Best,
Gemma.
Lovely recipe! Not too sweet, moist and fast to make. Thanks for sharing your knowledge, much appreciated.
Hi there,
Thank you for posting your photo, and for this kind review. It is good to have you with us,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma
In your recipes when you call for sugar can you use any type of sugar for example castor sugar or must it be white granulated sugar
Thanks Tony
Hi Tony,
Here in the US granulated sugar is fine ground, there is no distinction.
In the UK, Ireland and other places there are grades of sugar, and actually the caster sugar can be more expensive. check out the own brands of sugar where you live, my mum says these are mostly finely ground, cheap, and just the same as caster sugar! A tip for you,
Gemma 🙂
I made this. So good! Can i try it with coconut flour?
Hi Muriel,
I think what works well with alternative flours is a blend. Check out the gluten free flours in your store or online, these are usually a blend, and work well in cake type recipes. 40% of a nut flour with 60% of rice flour for instance may give a better result. coconut flour is highly absorbent, if that is your choice you may need more liquids, or less flour. Interesting thing though! Coconut it a drupe, not a nut, though also can be considered a fruit, an interesting and highly nutritious thing!
Gemma 🙂
Hi gemma! Is it possible that I substitute apf for cake flour? Thanks for answering! Btw, it looks good just by watching it. Love your videos!
Hi Samantha,
Yes! this type of bake does not rely on gluten, so it really does not matter.
thank you for being here with us,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma! I loooove your videos! I would just like to ask if I can multiply this recipe by 4 so I can make 4 loaves? Thanks Gemma! :*
Hi Anna,
Really glad you like my recipes. Yes feel free to multiply this recipe.
Best,
Gemma.
Can this be made without the oats?
Hi there,
Yes! that will not be a problem. The purpose of the oats is to keep the banana cake moist. you can make it without it, and that will be good too,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma, I’m a big fan of yours and love all your recipes. I tried out your banana bread recipe today. Definitely deserves a “happy dance”! It was delicious and not overly sweet and quick to make. Will definitely be trying this again. 😃
Hi there,
Great! Yes, you are right, this is not over sweet, and some of the sweetness is contributed by the bananas, so happy days!
Thank you for this very knid review of this recipe,
Gemma 🙂
Hi Gemma,
Tried the bread. Tastes good but didn’t brown up as you have shown. What could be the problem.
Hi there, perhaps your oven is not as strong as mine. I might suggest baking it 5 minutes longer.
The banana bread’s flavor was delicious, especially liked the oats. When I tried to cut it a decent thickness it would crumble. I did not change the ingredients
hum, it really shouldn’t have crumbled like that. Maybe was it too fresh when cut?
Best,
Gemma.
Mine did crumble a bit, too. And yes, I was too excited to have my kids try it and did cut it way too early. LOL. I won’t be doing that with my keto version of this bread. 🙂
No Gemma I did not change the ingredients
Hi Lexi,
I lost the thread of this, I am sorry. Can you repeat the question!
Gemma 🙂