One Banana Bread Recipe posted by Staff Writer Pin Share Tweet Email Jump to Recipe We’ve all been there before. You go to the grocery store and buy a bunch of bananas, planning to eat them throughout the week. But by the time Wednesday rolls around, I have only two left – and one of those is brown. What do you do with it? You could make banana bread! This ONE Banana Bread recipe is my favorite for those times when you’re stuck with that one lonely, overripe banana on the counter. It’s quick, easy, and best of all – delicious! 🍌🍌🍌 CHECK OUT more of our favorite Banana Bread Recipes 🍌🍌🍌 Main Ingredients Needed for ONE Banana Bread a banana butter oil sugar milk baking soda chocolate chips How to Make this Recipe Mash the banana and mix it with the sugar. Mix in the melted butter and oil. Whisk in the egg, milk, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Mix in the flour and chocolate chips. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes. Tips & Troubleshooting for Banana Bread First, use very ripe bananas. Anytime you make banana bread, the bananas should be overly ripe and soft with lots of brown spots (or completely brown). This will make them much easier to mash, and it will produce a significantly better flavor and texture. In addition, overripe bananas are naturally super sweet! And if you need to quickly ripen your bananas in a pinch, try my secret for speedy ripened bananas! Don’t Overmix the Banana Bread. Before you add the flour to the batter, you can whisk away! But once the flour is in, it’s very important to only mix the batter with a spoon or a spatula. You should only mix it just until the batter is formed. Which means, the batter doesn’t need to be perfectly smooth! In fact, it won’t. The batter should be lumpy and moist with no visible streaks of flour. If you overmix the batter, then the bread will be tough and rubbery. And use the correct amount of bananas. It’s easy to rationalize increasing the amount of bananas you add to the recipe, but don’t do it! Too many bananas will make the bread dense and soggy. Finally, do the toothpick test. The bread may look brown on top, with edges pulling away from the sides, and it may feel firm when you gently press on the top. But unless you stick a toothpick into the center of the loaf, you can’t know if it’s truly baked all the way through. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled a loaf out feeling absolutely positive it was done, but it ended up sinking in the middle just a few minutes later. So be sure to stick a toothpick or a skewer into the center of the bread. And you see any batter on it, then your bread is not done. If you’re concerned about the bread burning on top, cover it up with foil until it passes the toothpick test. *I prefer to use a metal loaf pan when baking banana bread because it cooks more evenly. However, if you don’t have one, you can use a glass or ceramic loaf pan – just keep an eye on it so that it doesn’t overbake. Banana Bread FAQs: Can I freeze Banana Bread? You should store banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature. It will last for up to four days. Also, banana bread freezes really well! Just wrap it in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and put it in a freezer bag. It will last for up to two months. You can also put it in the fridge first. Can I make Banana Bread without sugar? Banana bread doesn’t have to be sweet! If you want, you can replace the cup of sugar with an equal amount of honey or maple syrup. Or, if you’re looking for something a little less sweet, you can try using only half a cup of sugar. What do I do if my banana bread is brown on the outside but not cooked through in the middle? If your banana bread is brown on the outside but not cooked through in the middle, it’s likely because your oven runs hot. You can try baking it for a little bit longer, or you can tent it with aluminum foil so that the top doesn’t get too brown. What’s the difference between Banana Bread and Banana Cake? Banana bread is a quickbread, which means that it doesn’t contain any leavening agents like baking powder or soda. This makes it denser than banana cake, which contains baking powder and often eggs as well. Additionally, you usually bake banana bread in a loaf pan, while your would bake a banana cake in a round or square cake pan. Can I use Oil instead of Butter in Banana Bread? Yes! You can use any kind of oil – vegetable oil, olive oil, or even melted coconut oil. Just make sure that the total amount of oil doesn’t exceed one cup. Can I add nuts or chocolate chips to Banana Bread? Yes! You can add any type of nut or chocolate chip to your banana bread. Just make sure that you don’t add too much, or your bread will be dense and heavy. Try adding about ½ cup of nuts or chocolate chips. This ONE Banana Bread recipe is perfect for those times you’re stuck with that one, lonely, overripe banana on the counter that (let’s be real) no one is going to eat. Ever. With just a few simple ingredients, you can have delicious and moist banana bread in no time! Plus, it’s so versatile – you can add in your favorite nuts or chocolate chips, or even switch up the type of sugar you use. So go ahead and give this recipe a try – you won’t be disappointed! Happy baking! 🙂 Continue to Content One Banana Bread Recipe Yield: 1 Loaf Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 55 minutes This ONE Banana Bread recipe is perfect for those times you're stuck with that one, lonely, overripe banana on the counter that (let's be real) no one is going to eat. Ever Print Ingredients 1 ripe banana 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1 egg plus milk to make 1 cup 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 tsp baking soda 1 pinch salt 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 cup chocolate chips Instructions Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a metal* loaf pan with foil or parchment paper and lightly grease with nonstick cooking spray.Mash the banana with a whisk. Mix in the sugar.Mix in the melted butter and oil.In a small bowl (or in a large measuring cup, like a Pyrex), whisk together the milk and the egg. Add milk mixture, vanilla, baking soda, and salt to the banana bowl and mix well.Fold in the flour and the chocolate chips with a spatula, just until batter forms.Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Notes *If you use a glass or ceramic loaf pan your baking time will likely be longer than 45 minutes. When the top of the loaf is golden brown, cover it with foil to keep it from burning and allow it to continue baking until it passes the toothpick test. Love Banana Bread? Me too! Here are a few of my favorite banana bread recipes. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Whole Grain Banana Bread Banana Bread
