Easy banana bread
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 10
This is an easy banana bread recipe that gives perfect results every time. It uses up loads of bananas – the blacker the better. This cake is made with butter, but if you're looking for a quicker oil-based easy banana bread, we've got you covered.
Each serving provides 334 kcal, 5g protein, 53g carbohydrates (of which 30g sugars), 11g fat (of which 6.5g saturates), 2g fibre and 0.8g salt.
Ingredients
- 285g/10oz plain flour
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 110g/4oz butter, plus extra for greasing
- 225g/8oz caster sugar
- 2 free-range eggs
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 85ml/3fl oz buttermilk (or normal milk mixed with 1½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin (20x12.5cm/8x5in).
Sift the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla extract to the butter and sugar mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the flour mixture.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for about an hour (check after 45 minutes), or until well-risen and golden-brown.
Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Recipe tips
If you don't have buttermilk, some plain yoghurt would work here. You can also make buttermilk at home by mixing milk and lemon juice (or vinegar). Mix 85ml/3fl oz with 1½ tsp lemon juice and leave to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
You could add extra fibre to the loaf by using half and half wholemeal and plain flour. You may need to add a little extra buttermilk as the wholemeal flour will soak up any liquid more quickly. The cake should have a soft, dropping consistency before baking.
To make your banana bread extra special, you can add 100g/3½oz dark or milk chocolate chips, or a handful of raisins or chopped walnuts at step 4, after the flour has been added. Top the cooked cake with a drizzly icing made with golden icing sugar and sprinkle with extra chocolate or chopped nuts if you like.
If you need to use up your bananas but don’t have time to bake, you can freeze overripe bananas to use later. Peel and cut them into chunks, then place in a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month. To defrost, thaw at room temperature 1–2 hours, or heat in short bursts in the microwave. Discard any liquid and then mash and use as normal.
This cake keeps very well for up to 5 days if you store in a lidded container or wrap in foil. Only cut into slices as you serve it, so it doesn’t dry out. It can also be frozen, double wrapped in clingfilm for up to 3 months. Defrost, wrapped, at room temperature for 3 hours.
How to freeze
Allow the banana bread to cool thoroughly then wrap in a layer of baking paper, followed by two layers of foil. Label and freeze for up to 3 months. Wrapping the cake thoroughly will help protect it. To thaw, remove the foil from the frozen cake, place in its baking paper on a cooling rack and defrost at room temperature for 2–3 hours before fully unwrapping.
You can also freeze the banana bread in portions, making it ideal for lunch boxes and picnics. Cut into single servings and wrap each one in foil. Place in a large freezer bag, label, seal and freeze for up to 1 month. Remove each portion of cake as you need it and thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours before serving.
