Recipes & Cooking Desserts & Baking Bread Quick Breads & Rolls Banana Bread 4.3 (6) 6 Reviews This banana bread recipe is our tried-and-true, best recipe that is perfect for using up those ripe bananas on your counter. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts Sheryl Geerts is an editor and author who has nearly three decades of writing and editing experience. She enjoys writing about garden, food, and home topics. Her bylines have appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Allrecipes, Martha Stewart Living, and several other publications. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 6, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Prep Time: 25 mins Bake Time: 55 mins Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins Servings: 16 Yield: 1 loaf (16 slices) Jump to Nutrition Facts If you're looking for a moist banana bread recipe, look no further because this is our best banana bread recipe. It's easy to make and includes tips from our Test Kitchen pros on how to make banana bread more flavorful—the secret is roasting the bananas before you add them to your batter. Once you've mastered this banana bread, try making the included recipe variations (dark chocolate-raspberry, mango-ginger, and PB&J ). A streusel-nut topping jazzes up this banana nut bread recipe but if you're not a fan of nuts, skipping the topping and leaving the walnuts out of the batter still makes this a delicious banana bread that's great for an on-the-go breakfast or an afternoon snack. BHG / Cara Cormack 15 Irresistible Banana Bread Recipes from Classic to Creative Ingredients Banana Bread 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (5 medium) 1 cup granulated sugar ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter ¼ cup chopped walnuts Streusel-Nut Topping (optional) 3 tablespoons packed brown sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 4 teaspoons butter 1/4 cup chopped walnuts Directions Banana Bread BHG / Cara Cormack Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of one 9x5x3-inch loaf pan or two 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch loaf pans; set aside. BHG / Cara Cormack In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside. BHG / Cara Cormack In a medium bowl combine eggs, banana, sugar, and oil. BHG / Cara Cormack Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy). Fold in nuts. BHG / Cara Cormack Spoon batter into prepared pan(s). If desired, sprinkle Streusel Topping over batter. BHG / Cara Cormack Bake for 55 to 60 minutes for 9x5x3-inch pan or 40 to 45 minutes for 7-1/2x3-1/2x2-inch pans or until a wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean (if necessary, cover loosely with foil the last 15 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning). BHG / Cara Cormack Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack. Wrap and store overnight before slicing. Makes 1 loaf (16 slices) banana bread. Test Kitchen Tip: We recommend wrapping cooled quick bread in plastic wrap and letting it stand at room temperature overnight before serving. The loaf's texture will be more evenly moist and less crumbly. Streusel-Nut Topping In a small bowl combine brown sugar and flour. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Roasted Banana Bread Variation The flavor of bananas gets deeper when you roast them first. Arrange the bananas, unpeeled, on a foil-lined baking pan. Prick banana skins with a fork at 1-inch intervals. Bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes (banana skins will get very dark); cool bananas in pan. Split banana peels. Measure 1-1/2 cups of roasted bananas, pressing gently into measuring cups. Dark Chocolate-Raspberry Banana Bread Variation Prepare banana bread as directed, except stir 1/2 cup dark chocolate pieces into the batter with the walnuts. After spooning batter into pan, use the tip of a spoon to swirl in 1/4 cup raspberry preserves. After bread stands overnight, in a small microwave-safe bowl combine 1/3 cup dark chocolate pieces and 1/2 teaspoon shortening. Microwave, uncovered, on 70 percent power for 20 seconds; stir. Microwave at the same power until melted and smooth, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle over bread. Place 1/4 cup raspberry preserves in another small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 20 to 30 seconds or until melted, snipping any large pieces of fruit. Drizzle melted preserves over the top of the bread. Nutrition Facts per 1 slice: 293 calories, 4 g protein, 45 g carbohydrate, 12 g total fat (3 g sat. fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 25 g total sugar, 1% Vitamin A, 7% Vitamin C, 123 mg sodium, 5% calcium, 10% iron Mango-Ginger Banana Bread Variation Use the 9x5x3-inch loaf pan for this variation. Prepare banana bread as directed, except omit cinnamon and nutmeg, increase ginger to 1 teaspoon, and substitute 1/4 cup snipped dates for the chopped walnuts. Toss 1/2 cup chopped fresh mango with 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; fold into the batter with the dates. If using the topping, omit walnuts and add 1/4 cup chopped pistachios and 1 tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger. Bake about 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Nutrition Facts per 1 slice: 221 calories, 3 g protein, 36 g carbohydrate, 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 20 g total sugar, 2% Vitamin A, 8% Vitamin C, 120 mg sodium, 4% calcium, 6% iron PB&J Banana Bread Variation Use the 9x5x3-inch loaf pan for this variation. Prepare banana bread as directed, except add 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter with the bananas and substitute 1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts for the chopped walnuts. After spooning batter into pan, use the tip of a spoon to swirl in 1/4 cup strawberry preserves. If using the topping, omit walnuts and add 1/4 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts. Bake about 70 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. After bread stands overnight, place 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 100 percent power (high) for 15 to 20 seconds or until melted, snipping any large pieces of fruit. Drizzle melted preserves over the top of the bread. Nutrition Facts per 1 slice: 259 calories, 4 g protein, 38 g carbohydrate, 11 g total fat (2 g sat. fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 2 g fiber, 20 g total sugar, 1% Vitamin A, 6% Vitamin C, 140 mg sodium, 4% calcium, 6% iron Rate It Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 215 Calories 9g Fat 32g Carbs 3g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 16 Calories 215 % Daily Value * Total Fat 9g 12% Saturated Fat 1g 5% Cholesterol 27mg 9% Sodium 122mg 5% Total Carbohydrate 32g 12% Total Sugars 18g Protein 3g 6% Vitamin C 3.5mg 4% Calcium 30.3mg 2% Iron 0.9mg 5% Potassium 176mg 4% Folate, total 16.1mcg Vitamin B-12 0.1mcg Vitamin B-6 0.2mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.