← Back to the recipe

Print: Classic One-Bowl Banana Bread

Press Ctrl+P (⌘P on a Mac) to print.

Big type for easier reading on US Letter or A4; long recipes run onto a second page.

Banana Bread · Classic

Classic One-Bowl Banana Bread

Moist, tender and full of banana flavor, this loaf comes together in one bowl with a fork and a spoon. It's the perfect home for those bananas that have gone brown and spotty.

Scan for the recipe
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr
Total
1 hr 45 min
Serves
10 · 1 loaf
Level
Easy

Ingredients

  • 3 large ripe bananas, very spotty, about 1 1/2 cups mashed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus a little for the pan
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • ¼ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Steps

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan, then line the bottom and long sides with a strip of parchment so the loaf lifts out easily.
  2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps left.
  3. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream and vanilla until well combined.
  4. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt and cinnamon over the top and whisk them in, then add the flour and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour shows. A lumpy batter is good.
  5. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
  6. Bake until the loaf is deep golden and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over it for the last 15 minutes.
  7. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then lift it out and cool on a rack at least 15 minutes more before slicing so it doesn't fall apart.

Tip: The browner the banana skins, the sweeter and more flavorful the bread.

Tip: No ripe bananas? Roast unpeeled yellow bananas on a sheet pan at 300°F (150°C) for 15 to 20 minutes until black, then cool and use.

Tip: Ovens vary, so start checking at 50 minutes.

Storage: Wrap well and keep at room temperature up to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 1 week.

Make ahead: Freeze the cooled loaf or individual slices wrapped tightly for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or toast slices from frozen.

Estimated nutrition per serving: 290 calories · protein 4 g · carbohydrates 43 g · fiber 2 g · sugars 21 g · fat 12 g (saturated 7 g) · sodium 240 mg. Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 10 of 10 ingredients.