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Best Banana Bread

Best banana bread with a one-bowl, easy banana bread recipe method that bakes up deeply caramelized on top and stays impossibly moist. Ripe banana bread with dark golden crumb and banana flecks—classic banana bread texture in a simple loaf.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread loaf
  • 3 very ripe bananas Mash until mostly smooth with a few small lumps.
  • 0.333 cup unsalted butter Melt and cool slightly so it doesn’t cook the egg.
  • 0.75 cup sugar Use granulated sugar for a classic caramelized top.
  • 1 large egg Bring to room temperature if possible for even mixing.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Stir in after the egg.
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour Spoon into the measuring cup and level.
  • 1 tsp baking soda Helps the loaf rise and brown.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Balances sweetness.
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon Adds warm flavor and color.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Preheat and prepare the pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.
  2. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Make the batter
  1. Melt the unsalted butter and whisk directly into the mashed very ripe bananas in a large bowl.
  2. Stir in the sugar, large egg, and vanilla extract until well combined.
  3. Sprinkle all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon over the banana mixture and fold in until no dry streaks remain.
Bake and cool
  1. Bake at 350°F for 60–70 minutes until deeply golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
  2. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
  3. Turn out onto a rack and do not slice until slightly cooled or the crumb will fall apart.

Notes

For the moist, dark golden crumb, use bananas that are very ripe and mash them well so the flecks stay evenly distributed. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 3 months. For a lighter option, replace half the sugar with brown sugar and keep the same bake time.