Banana bread is the way to go when you need to use up ripe bananas and want a sweet bread loaf. From this easy classic recipe to our raspberry white chocolate banana bread to our moist banana carrot bread, you can never go wrong with homemade banana bread.

BANANA BREAD RECIPE-

This bread loaf is SO EASY to make and packed with so much flavor from the mashed bananas, mixed nuts and dried fruit. This is my go-to bread to make whenever we are craving something sweet but want a quick recipe, plus it’s a great way to use up any ripe bananas.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE BANANA BREAD-

The ingredients you need to make this simple bread loaf are so basic and you most likely have them in your kitchen:

BANANAS– You’ll want the bananas ripe and soft. Yes, the ugly browned banana.EGGS– Large eggs are needed.SUGAR– Granulated sugar works just fine.SOUR CREAM– You can substitute the sour cream for yogurt or buttermilk.OIL– Gives the bread its softness.FLOUR– All-purpose flour is what we used.VANILLA & CINNAMON– Add flavor to the bread.BAKING POWDER & SODA– Allows the bread to rise and hold its shape properly.NUTS– We used walnuts but pecans will also work, or just leave them out.DRIED FRUITS– Though you can leave out the dried fruit, we love the added flavor it gives. Add in dried fruit of choice: raisins, craisins, apricots, or even cherries.

Mash bananas-

Mashing bananas is so simple. You can easily mash the bananas with the back of your fork, food masher or even a  mixer. If you like chunks of bananas in your bread don’t mashed the bananas until pureed, leave them chunky. What if I don’t have any ripe bananas? If you don’t have ripe bananas, then you can ripen them by baking on a baking sheet at 250°F for about 15 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE BANANA BREAD-

BAKING PAN– Line a 9×5 bread loaf with parchment paper.DRY INGREDIENTS– In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and baking powder.WET INGREDIENTS– With a mixer over high speed, beat the sugar and eggs. Add in the mashed bananas, buttermilk (or sour cream), oil, and vanilla and beat just until combined.DRY INGREDIENTS– Add the dry ingredients and fold in with a spatula until well combined. Fold in the mixed nuts and dried fruit.COMBINE– Add the batter to the bread loaf and bake.

bread loaf additives-

If you want more than just a classic bread recipe, here are some great options for adds ons you can add to the bread loaf:

chopped walnutspecanschocolate chip morselsraisinscraisinsapricotscherriesdried cherrieswhite chocolate chunks

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-

I hope this easy bread loaf recipe becomes a family favorite!

MORE SWEET BREADS:

Twisted Sweet BreadApple BreadChocolate Chip BreadPecan BreadBundt Cake RecipeCranberry Orange Loaf