Description
Homemade banana bread showcases sweet, moist comfort through ripe bananas and simple ingredients. Warm spices and golden crust promise delightful moments when sharing slices with loved ones.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
- ⅓ cup (79 milliliters) melted butter (unsalted)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (57 grams) chopped nuts (like walnuts or pecans) or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Pan Preparation: Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan thoroughly with butter or line with parchment paper to prevent adhesion and facilitate easy removal.
- Banana Transformation: Mash ripe bananas into a velvety puree, creating a luscious foundation for the bread’s distinctive flavor profile.
- Liquid Base Integration: Blend melted butter into mashed bananas, then whisk in sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until the mixture becomes a smooth, cohesive emulsion.
- Dry Ingredient Incorporation: Delicately sprinkle baking soda and salt over the wet ingredients, then gently fold in flour, minimizing stirring to maintain a delicate, tender texture.
- Optional Flavor Enhancement: Disperse chopped walnuts or dark chocolate chips throughout the batter, creating pockets of additional complexity and crunch.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the surface, then bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out completely clean.
- Cooling and Serving: Allow bread to rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing, ensuring optimal moisture retention and structural integrity.
Notes
- Select Ultra-Ripe Bananas: Use bananas with extensive brown spots for maximum natural sweetness and deeper flavor profile.
- Minimize Mixing Technique: Gently fold dry ingredients to prevent overdeveloping gluten, which could result in dense, tough bread texture.
- Moisture Preservation Hack: Wrap cooled banana bread in plastic wrap to maintain softness and prevent drying out during storage.
- Customize Dietary Adaptations: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free alternatives or almond flour for celiac-friendly version, and replace butter with coconut oil for vegan option.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg