Classic Banana Bread Recipe
The key to making the best-tasting banana bread is using a blend of spices to amplify the banana flavor, along with a few other tricks to keep the crumb moist and tender.
[Photograph: Vicky Wasik]
This is my favorite recipe for banana bread, loaded with coconut oil, oat flour, and thick Greek yogurt so it's always tender and moist. I use a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to boost the natural flavor of banana, making this loaf less spicy than banana-y. If you really want to step up your game, forget butter—try topping a slice with a dollop of thick and fruity banana whipped cream.
Why It Works
- Ripe-but-not-overripe bananas give the batter structure, so the loaf bakes up fluffy and light.
- Oat flour thickens the batter and improves moisture retention, for a loaf that rises higher and lasts longer than one made from all-purpose flour alone.
- Nutmeg and cloves are high in eugenol, the same compound that gives ripe bananas their distinctive flavor and aroma, deepening the banana flavor of the loaf.
- Because coconut oil is solid at room temperature, it gives the banana bread a uniquely rich yet buttery crumb.
Read more: 8 Easy Upgrades for Better Banana Bread
- Yield:Makes one 10 1/2–inch loaf, two 9- by 5-inch loaves, or 12 muffins
- Active time: 15 minutes
- Total time:1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on loaf size
- Rated:
Ingredients
- 4 medium bananas (20 ounces; 565g), ripe but not fully black
- 4 ounces plain Greek yogurt (1/2 cup; 115g), preferably nonfat
- 2 large eggs, straight from the fridge
- 1/2 ounce vanilla extract (1 tablespoon; 15g)
- 10 ounces all-purpose flour (2 cups; 280g)
- 5 1/4 ounces sugar (3/4 cup; 150g), preferably toasted
- 3 ounces oat flour (3/4 cup; 85g), such as Bob's Red Mill (see note)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon (3g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground or grated nutmeg
- 5 1/4 ounces coconut oil, virgin or refined (3/4 cup; 150g), creamy but firm, about 70°F
- 6 ounces toasted pecan or other nut pieces (1 cup; 170g) (see note)
Directions
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1.
Line a 10 1/2– by 5 1/2–inch loaf pan with a 9- by 13-inch sheet of parchment paper, or two 9- by 5-inch loaf pans with 7- by 13-inch sheets of parchment paper. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 350°F. Peel bananas (for roughly 12 ounces or 340g fruit) and mash with Greek yogurt, eggs, and vanilla in a medium bowl. If bananas are underripe, cover bowl with plastic and let mixture stand 30 minutes.
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2.
Combine flour, sugar, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and coconut oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low until coconut oil disappears into a mealy powder. Add banana mash and continue mixing only until the floury bits disappear. Fold in nuts with a flexible spatula, scrape into prepared pan(s), and spread into an even layer. Bake until well risen and golden brown, or to an internal temperature of around 206°F (about 70 minutes for a large loaf or 45 for small). Wrapped tightly in foil, banana bread will keep up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge.
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3.
For Banana Nut Muffins: Divide batter evenly among 12 lightly greased nonstick muffin cups, adding approximately 1/2 cup (4 ounces; 120g) to each cup. Bake until domed and just beginning to brown around the edges, about 25 minutes.
This Recipe Appears In
8 Easy Upgrades for Better Banana Bread
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