Moist Banana Bread Recipe

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease and flour an 8×4-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper. This step might seem basic, but trust me—greasing well saves you the heartbreak of a stuck loaf!

In a small bowl, mash your bananas with a fork. You’ll need about 4 small bananas to get 1⅓ cups mashed. Make sure the bananas are super ripe for maximum sweetness and moisture. (Quick tip: mash your bananas just before you need them so they don’t brown too much.)

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. This step ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the batter, so your bread rises properly.

In another bowl, beat together the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. This step incorporates air, which gives the bread a tender crumb.

Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure they’re fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract—don’t skip this, it adds a lovely flavor.

Gently stir in your mashed bananas, and be careful not to overmix. The banana pieces give texture and flavor, so you want to keep some small chunks intact.

Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Here’s where you need to be careful—overmixing can lead to dense bread, so stir just until the flour is incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45-60 minutes, but keep an eye on it. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center—if it comes out clean, it’s ready!

Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (if you can wait that long). I like to slice into it when it’s still a little warm—there’s nothing better than that first soft, banana-scented slice.