Short answer
A banana bread recipe needs very ripe bananas, flour, sugar, butter or oil, eggs and a raising agent. Mash the bananas, mix wet into dry only until combined, and bake at 175 °C for 55 to 65 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
A banana bread recipe is simple: mash very ripe bananas, stir in melted butter, sugar, eggs and flour with a raising agent, then bake the batter in a loaf tin at 175 °C for about an hour. The key to a moist banana bread is spotty, overripe fruit and gentle mixing, which this guide explains step by step.
What is banana bread?
Banana bread is a sweet, dense loaf cake made with mashed ripe bananas. It is baked in a loaf tin, sliced like bread and eaten plain, toasted or with butter. It is a quick bread, meaning it rises with baking powder or bicarbonate of soda rather than yeast.
Despite the name, banana bread is closer to cake than bread. It is common in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia, and many cafes serve it by the slice with coffee.
What ingredients do you need?
For a standard 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin you need ripe bananas, flour, sugar, butter or oil, eggs, a raising agent and salt.
| Ingredient | Amount | Job |
|---|---|---|
| Very ripe bananas | 3 large, about 300 g peeled | Sweetness, moisture, flavour |
| Plain flour | 225 g | Structure |
| Light brown or caster sugar | 130 g | Sweetness, soft crumb |
| Butter, melted | 100 g | Richness (or 90 ml neutral oil) |
| Eggs | 2 | Binding and lift |
| Baking powder | 1 teaspoon | Rise |
| Bicarbonate of soda | 1/2 teaspoon | Extra lift, browning |
| Salt | A pinch | Balances sweetness |
Optional extras are a teaspoon of cinnamon, a teaspoon of vanilla and a handful of chopped nuts or chocolate. The base recipe needs none of them.
How ripe should bananas be?
Bananas for banana bread should be very ripe: heavily freckled with brown spots or mostly black. Ripe bananas have converted much of their starch to sugar, so they taste sweeter and mash to a smooth, wet pulp.
If yours are not ready, place unpeeled bananas on a tray and bake at 150 °C for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins blacken. Cool them before peeling. This softens them but gives less flavour than naturally ripened fruit. Ripe bananas also freeze well, so many bakers keep a bag of peeled, frozen ones for the next loaf.
How do you make banana bread step by step?
To make banana bread, mash the bananas, whisk in the wet ingredients, fold in the dry ingredients until just combined, pour into a lined tin and bake. The whole process takes about 15 minutes of work.
- Heat the oven to 175 °C (155 °C fan) and line a 900 g loaf tin with baking paper.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps.
- Whisk in the melted butter, sugar and eggs until combined.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Fold with a spatula for no more than 10 to 15 strokes. Some small streaks of flour are fine.
- Scrape the batter into the tin and smooth the top.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a skewer in the centre comes out clean.
- Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out onto a wire rack.
If the top darkens too quickly, cover the tin loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.
Why overmixing makes banana bread tough
Overmixing makes banana bread tough because stirring develops gluten in the flour, which gives a rubbery, tunnelled crumb instead of a soft one. Mix just until the flour is no longer visible.
This is the single most common problem with quick breads. Use a spatula, not an electric mixer, and stop as soon as the batter looks combined. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy, not smooth and elastic.
How do you stop banana bread being dense or gummy?
Banana bread turns out dense or gummy when there is too much banana, too little flour, an underbaked centre or old raising agent. Weigh the ingredients and bake until the centre is set.
- Weigh the fruit: more than about 350 g of banana adds too much moisture for 225 g of flour.
- Check your raising agent: baking powder and bicarbonate of soda lose strength after about six months once opened.
- Test properly: push the skewer into the deepest part of the loaf, not near the edge.
- Rest the loaf: it finishes setting as it cools, so do not slice it hot.
If the centre sinks, the oven may have been too cool or opened too early. Wait until at least 45 minutes before checking.
Can you add nuts, chocolate or spices?
You can add up to about 100 g of nuts, chocolate chips or dried fruit to this banana bread recipe without changing the bake. Toss them in a spoonful of the flour first so they stay spread through the loaf instead of sinking.
Popular additions include chopped walnuts or pecans, dark chocolate chips, a teaspoon of cinnamon, a spoonful of peanut butter swirled through the top, or a handful of blueberries. Keep the total add-ins modest so the batter can still hold them.
Butter or oil in banana bread?
Both work. Butter gives a richer, more savoury flavour and a slightly firmer crumb, while oil gives a softer loaf that stays moist for longer.
| Fat | Flavour | Texture | Keeps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melted butter | Rich, caramel notes | Tender, a little firmer | 2 to 3 days |
| Neutral oil | Plain, lets banana lead | Very soft, moist | 3 to 4 days |
Some bakers use half of each. Whichever you choose, add the fat to the batter melted and slightly cooled so it does not cook the eggs.
How do you store and freeze banana bread?
Store cooled banana bread wrapped in baking paper or foil in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to three days. In warm weather, or for longer storage, keep it in the fridge or freezer.
For the freezer, slice the loaf and wrap each slice in cling film, then place in a freezer bag. Slices thaw in about an hour at room temperature or can go straight into a toaster. Whole loaves freeze for up to three months.
Is banana bread on the Kozi Cafe menu?
No. Banana bread is not on the menu recorded for Kozi Cafe in Glasgow, so this is a general baking guide and says nothing about what the cafe bakes. The recorded items are mainly pancakes, eggs, focaccia sandwiches, croissants and coffee.
For what is listed, see the menu page, and for opening times and the address, see the hours and location page. The cafe has no website, so call before travelling if you want to ask about cakes on the day.
Common questions
How ripe should bananas be for banana bread?
Use bananas with plenty of brown spots or an almost black skin. They are softer, sweeter and easier to mash, which gives a moister loaf with more banana flavour than yellow, firm fruit.
Why is my banana bread dense?
Overmixing is the usual cause, because it builds gluten and makes the crumb tough. Stir only until the flour disappears. Old raising agent or too many bananas can also make the loaf heavy and gummy.
Can I freeze banana bread?
Yes. Cool the loaf completely, slice it, wrap the slices tightly and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or toast a frozen slice. Whole loaves also freeze well if wrapped twice.
Can you use oil instead of butter in banana bread?
Yes. Neutral oil gives a very moist, tender loaf that stays soft for longer, while butter adds flavour. Use about the same weight of oil as melted butter, and the method stays the same.
How do I know banana bread is cooked?
Push a skewer into the centre. It should come out clean or with a few dry crumbs. The top should be deep golden and spring back lightly, and the loaf should pull slightly from the tin edges.
This page is part of the independent guide to Kozi Cafe, which has the address, hours and menu.
This article is general information from an independent guide, not from Kozi Cafe itself. For the store’s current details see hours and location.