Banana Bread Recipe (VIDEO)
An easy and moist Banana Bread Recipe that is loaded with bananas, tangy-sweet raisins, and toasted walnuts. This is one of our favorite overripe banana recipes with hundreds of 5-star reviews.
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Banana Nut Bread Recipe:
This is my husband’s recipe which he has perfected over the years and he is known for his Banana Bread. He makes it frequently and it always disappears fast! It is simple to make and our favorite way to use up overripe bananas so they never go to waste. It’s super moist and makes a great breakfast on-the-go. We even created Banana Muffins from this recipe.
This loaf stays moist for days and also makes for a thoughtful and delicious gift idea for the holidays (I’ll take banana bread over fruit cake any day).
Banana Bread Video Tutorial:
Watch Natasha make this moist banana bread. You will be surprised at how easy it is. We will never stop loving this recipe. Now go forth and bake!
Ingredients for Banana Bread:
This is everything you need to make the best banana bread: flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, vanilla extract, softened butter, eggs and of course very ripe bananas. Adding walnuts and raisins is optional but adds great taste and texture, turning it into a banana nut bread.
Can I Omit Walnuts and Raisins?
YES! The recipe will still work if raisins and walnuts are omitted. We make it nut-free all the time due to a walnut allergy in the family. You will still have the softest, super moist and scrumptious loaf. You can also replace them with some chocolate to make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
How to Ripen Bananas:
- Quick Oven Method: If your bananas are a little green and you want them to ripen quicker, place them on a baking sheet and bake at 250˚F for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the initial ripeness of the bananas.
- 24 Hour Counter Method: If you are willing to wait 1 day, you can place the bunch of bananas (without separating them) in a paper bag, cover and leave at room temperature. Bananas emit ethylene which causes ripening. Adding an apple to the bag will speed up the process.
Can I Freeze Overripe Bananas?
If you have overripe bananas and aren’t ready to bake with them, DO NOT throw them away!
How to Freeze Bananas: place them un-peeled in a freezer-safe bag, remove any excess air and freeze up to 3 months. You can use thawed bananas for banana bread. You can also freeze them peeled and cut into pieces for easier use in smoothies. P.S. You can also freeze a whole banana bread with the same method!
How to Make Banana Bread:
This is the easiest banana bread recipe. We mix it in a stand mixer because it’s easy, but you can use an electric hand mixer and can even make it work with a hand whisk. There is no fancy equipment required. Watch the video tutorial below and you will be a pro in no time!
- In the mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
- Mix in mashed bananas and eggs.
- Whisk together dry ingredients: flour, salt, and baking soda and add to batter.
- Stir in vanilla, walnuts, and raisins, transfer to prepared loaf pan and bake.
Substitutions for a Healthy Banana Bread:
- My sister Anna made this into a honey banana bread; replacing sugar with honey.
- Use organic whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour.
- Replace 1 Tbsp of flour with 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed.
- Reduce sugar to 1/2 cup when using very ripe bananas; they add plenty of sweetness
Love Sweet Breads? Try these Popular Bread Recipes:
We love sweetbreads because they are easy to make and are such a treat, especially when you top them with Honey Butter! Don’t miss these reader favorites:
- Apple Bread – a pull-apart moist apple bread
- Pumpkin Bread – so easy and we love it year-round
- Banana Chocolate Chip Bread always disappears fast
- Persimmon Bread – great way to use ripe persimmon
Moist Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas, (medium/large)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, (8 Tbsp) at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts
- ½ cup raisins
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bread loaf pan (9.25 long x 5.25 wide x 2.75 deep). Lightly roast walnuts on a skillet, continuously stirring so they won’t burn. Coarsely chop and cool to room temperature.
- In a mixing bowl, cream together 8 Tbsp softened butter and 3/4 cup sugar (or honey if using honey).
- Mash bananas with a fork until the consistency of chunky applesauce and add them to the batter along with 2 eggs, mixing until blended.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together: 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 tsp of baking soda and 1/2 tsp of salt then add to batter.
- Add 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and mix in chopped walnuts and raisins. Pour into prepared loaf pan. Bake at 350˚F for 55-60 min or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let banana bread rest for 10 min before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This banana bread recipe was first published in 2009; one of the very first recipes on our blog! It has been a reader and family favorite ever since.
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
I am anxious to try this recipe, but I do not have unsalted butter. Can I use salted without it affecting the end result?
Yes you can, just onit the salt in the recipe if you’ll be using salted.
I made this yesterday as a friend gave me 12 bunches of bananas. I followed the recipie exactly, baked for 59 min fearing it would burn on top and it did not cook fully in the center. I added 1/2 cup raisins, which should not have changed it. bread came out alittle grainy. what can I change to make it better. making 2 this morning.
Hi Lady D! Be sure to fully preheat the oven before you start baking. Also, check the size of the pan that you are using, if you are using a smaller pan there would be too much batter, making it thicker and it could take longer to bake. Watch my tutorial on how to measure ingredients here to ensure you are measuring everything correctly. I hope that helps.
This is it! I’ve finally found the best banana bread recipe.
It’s moist, flavorful and hearty.
I made it yesterday, and it’s just about gone.
Fantastic with a cup of coffee!
Hi Phyllis! I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
Hi, I just wanted to say that I am baking this right now and I believe it will be delish. There is a small issue when multiplying the recipe, the measurements do not follow the ingredient list. I’m making mine for 20 portions.
Hi Lori, unfortunately, we haven’t found an app yet that would adjust everything in the ingredients list. But we’ll take note of your feedback.
Hello, can I substitute the whole wheat flour for oatmeal flour?
Hi Luz! I have not tested oat flour in this recipe.
I followed the recipe accurately, except I didn’t add raisins. Mine came out incredibly dry. I used the right size pan, I measured properly, and I did everything the way the recipe said, and this thing is bone dry. It looks great, and my husband was drooling over the aroma, but it’s pretty dry. Had more banana or milk or something if you try this, because this was way too dry for banana bread.
HI Karen, dry banana bread is usually due to a few things: not enough banana, not enough oil, too much flour (see how we measure ingredients for baking here) or the number one thing is over-baking. If you are using a convection oven, you would need adjustments.
This was the best! I only had two bananas so I added 1/4 C applesauce and also 1/4 tsp of baking powder. Came out so moist and delicious. Definitely a keeper!
Hi Margie! I’m glad you loved the banana bread. It’s our favorite and also disappears so fast!
If I add chocolate chips, should I coat them with 1-2 T. flour or can I just add them to the batter. I do not want the chips to be at the bottom of the pan. What is the bake time for mini loaves. Thanks in advance
Hi Gloria, I have another recipe for Chocolate Chips Banana Bread.
Easy to follow and delicious! I messed up and added the ingredients in the wrong order and thought for sure I ruined the recipe, but it turned out perfect. Thank you for sharing!
Great to hear that it turned out well! Thank you for sharing, Hallie.
Worst Recipe I have ever made. Followed ever ingredient to the T and came out like trash. Would not Recommend
Hi Steve. I’m sorry that was your experience. This is one of the most popular recipes on our blog with hundreds of 5 star reviews. It’s been proven time and time again. I would be happy to help troubleshoot if you can be more specific and provide some information on what went wrong?
Fantastic! Best Banana bread I ever made. My additional ingredients to suit my tastes were 1 cup chopped walnuts, ½ cup raisins, ½ cup dried cranberries “craisins”, and ground spices cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves.
I use a darker pan so I reduced the oven temperature by 25⁰.
It took a little longer to bake. I started checking at 45 min and then every 5 minutes until perfectly baked.
I thought I was being smart reducing oven temperature but the recommended pan looks darker in color so maybe the oven temperature adjustment was unnecessary. In any case best banana bread I ever made.
Thank you for sharing and I’m happy that this is the best that you’ve tried!
I followed the recipe and watched the video, yet the bread never fully baked on the inside & was overdone on the outside. Is my oven possibly too hot?
Hi Elizabeth, it could definitely be the oven or the pan. Did you use a smaller pan by chance? I highly encourage the use of an Internal oven thermometer (affiliate link) to see if your oven is heating correctly.
Very good & very easy, but next time I am going to add a half cup of unsweetened applesauce to increase moistness as this was slightly dry.
Hi Mel! I’m glad you loved the recipe. It’s generally very moist, not dry. But using too much flour or baking it for too long can cause it to be dry. I have a tutorial on here.
This is a great recipe and very simple. I added walnuts and pecans and a few raisins. I used vanilla paste and threw in about 3 Tablespoons of brown sugar I had left over from something else. I topped it with pecans before baking.
I didn’t use a traditional loaf pan. Instead, I used a vintage Pyrex rectangular casserole dish 6×9.5in. I baked it at 350 for 40 minutes and it turned out wonderful. I’ll never use a box mix again!
Thank you so much for sharing, Kimberly! Homemade is so much better than box mix! So glad you loved the recipe. It’s our favorite.
Perfect easy and very tasty. A lot of pop ups make it hard to get to the recipe but it is well worth the time
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, David!
This is a very good recipe. Being a pastry chef myself, I changed your recipe to what I think is the perfect banana bread, moist, filled with nuts and fruits and delicious any time of the day.
I’ve made this banana bread so many times over the past few years that I felt compelled to write a review!! It’s so moist and flavorful, not dense at all! I usually drizzle some honey on top and use less sugar because I like to add chocolate chips but it’s delicious no matter what, and the walnuts are such a yummy addition!! I’m actually about to bake this again right now which is why I thought to leave a review. I would definitely recommend this!
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, Danie. We appreciate it!
I am planning on doubling this recipe and baking in a very long loaf pan. Are there any adjustments to the temperature or directions? I believe it would take longer but any input will help
Hi Tara! I have not tested it in different size pans to provide exact instructions on how to adjust the ingredients or time. Likely you can keep the same temperature but will have to experiment with the time.
Turned out wonderfully moist, with no issues of uncooked centre that some others experienced…I shingled bananas on the sides, and sprinkled granulated white sugar on top prior to baking, to infuse with a bit more banana flavour, as well as create visual interest…thank you for your recipe!
Yay, wonderful to hear that, Edward! Thanks a lot for the review and good feedback.
Is it okay to leave out nuts and raisins or should i replace it with something else
Yes, you can leave them out.
I forgot to toast the walnuts LOL! After 45min toothpick was clean but center was definitely not done. I think the batter just doesn’t stick with the butter in it? Can you link to the pan you use? Using a stoneware bread pan and I’m not sure it’s the best for this.
Hi Dave! It’s linked in step one on the recipe card (click on the red font). The material of the pan can affect how this bakes, since different materials distribute heat differently.
I love this recipe but every time I make it my banana bread doesn’t seem to get done in the center when the time is up and if I leave it in the oven for longer, it gets hard and crusty on the top and all dried out! Thought
?!
Hi Kristie, Did you use the correct size loaf pan? If it was smaller the there would be too much batter and it won’t bake properly without adjusting the time/temp. I would also encourage the use of an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to verify your oven is heating correctly. If it runs too hot, the outside will burn while the center remains raw. The type of pan used can also affect how it bakes, different materials distribute heat differently. I hope that helps for next time.
This recipe “Rocks”!!! this will be a frequent flyer recipe in my house…. Thank you for sharing
Thank you for that awesome feedback!
This is by far the best banana bread recipe I’ve baked. I replaced the raisins with just walnuts. Absolutely delish!
That’s wonderful, Robin!
Turned out fabulous, I added maple syrup and buttermilk. Super moist and super flavorful, will definitely make again!!
Sounds delicious!
This recipe was really tasty! I made some minor adjustments like using 1/4 cup white sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar, then split the batter in half and added fresh blueberries to one and chocolate chips to the other. I made muffins and they took about 22min to cook in my oven. Thanks for the yummy recipe!
That sounds amazing, Shelby! Thank you for sharing your experimentation with the recipe.
Delicious! Made two loaves one with honey the other with white sugar and chocolate chips. Both were great. Daughter raved about chocolate one (of course)! Simple, moist and will make it our regular go-to banana bread recipe. Baked closer to 65 minutes.
Hi Dale! That’s great to hear. Thank you for sharing that with us.
My husband loves banana bread (I’m not a fan 🙃). I made a loaf (different recipe) a couple of weeks ago that he enjoyed but when he asked for another, he requested that it be “softer” (read: moister and less dense – he doesn’t bake LOL). I tried Natasha’s and it’s a hit!
I omitted the raisins (because eww) and forgot to toast the walnuts (doh). I replaced the sugar with the same amount of Splenda and I converted all dry ingredient measurements to weight vs. volume. I also doubled the recipe to reduce the frequency with which I have to make a new batch 😂. I did not have the issue with underdone centers that others reported though I might have used slightly larger pans as the finished product wasn’t very “tall.”
I did a taste test and I can confirm that the moisture level was spot on. I do have (what’s left) wrapped in plastic in an effort to keep them from drying out.
Overall, a big win! Thank you!! 🍞
That’s awesome! Thank you for sharing. It;s good to know that you were able to make this recipe work using the ingredients that you like to use.
This is the best recipe I have ever found and have shared with everyone. Banana bread comes out moist and perfect every time. Thank you for sharing
Hi Heather! I’m so glad to hear that. Thank you for sharing with us.
This was a solid 4 star banana bread. Good but not as moist as advertised. I made two separate batches and they both turned out to be slightly disappointing. The raisins overpower the banana in flavor. Shocked to see this recipe holds 5 stars.
Hi Abbey! I’m sorry this recipe didn’t meet the mark for you. The raisins can be omitted or even replaced. This bread has always been very moist. If it’s dry, it’s likely due to the ratio of ingredients being off, like using too much flour, or even over-baking. Be sure not to scoop our flour directly out of the container with your measuring cup. I recommend watching my tutorial on How to measure ingredients . I also recommend the use of an In oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure the oven is calibrated. I hope that helps.
I’ve tried many different recipes for Banana Bread and this is the best one I’ve tried. Just popped two pans in the oven and wanted to post my thanks. From right down the road in Meridian!! Thanks Natasha!
Thank you for your excellent comments and feedback, Glenn! Great to hear that this is the best one that you have tried.
Came out well. Added a tsp of wine. Blown away. Aroma in house, priceless!
This recipe was easy to follow. The banana bread was very moist and a big hit with the family.
That’s wonderful to hear, Bonnie! We love this recipe too. I’m glad it was a hit!
I love the recipe and will definitely try again – but I had issues getting it done in the middle. I ended up having to burn it a little around the edges (cooked 75 min). I wondered if there might be tricks to getting it done in the middle better? Like tin foil or something? Thank you for sharing your recipe – the nuts and raisins were delicious with bananas! 😍
Hi Jennifer! Did you use the correct size loaf pan? If it was smaller the there would be too much batter and it won’t bake properly without adjusting the time/temp. I would also encourage the use of an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to verify your oven is heating correctly. If it runs too hot, the outside will burn while the center remains raw. The type of pan used can also affect how it bakes, different materials distribute heat differently. I hope that helps for next time.
I tried this recipe twice. One with raisins and walnuts. The second one with chopped chocolate pieces. Our ripe bananas were small so I used 4-5 pieces. I also used muscovado sugar. Both banana breads were perfect! Thank you Natasha and husband from our family in the Philippines!
That’s awesome! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with this recipe.
Great recipe! It turned out super moist. Only change was a little bit of cinnamon.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Kalyssa!
Easy to make. I added a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and what a great banana bread.
I’m glad you loved it!
This bread recipe is absolutely amazing! So yummy. The only change I made was using brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. Next time I would probably only do a half cup. Other than that which is my own doing, A+!
So glad you loved it! Thank you for sharing with us.
This is the only banana bread I make the family and friends love it.
I’m so glad to hear that, Brian!
Perfect every time, very moist with nice crispy outside. I used chocolate chips instead of nuts and raisins and baked for 60 min.
Great to hear that you enjoyed it, Klea!
Wow best banana bread I’ve ever had. The first time I tried this recipe it came out pretty dry. Idk if it from the walnuts and raisins. But this time I watched your video about measuring and I used more banana and its perfect. Also I’m at 7200ft so I used half a tsp of baking soda.
Thank you, Austin. God to know that it turned out perfect the next time you tried it!
Can I substitute ap flour with Pillsbury gluten-free all-purpose flour.
Hi Sharon! I haven’t tested it myself but some
of my readers have reported using GF flour successfully for this.
Heaven in a pan. Used 5 bananas because they were going bad.
I’m so glad you loved it!
Oh my gosh, this is the best Banana bread I’ve ever had – let alone bake! I was doubtful with the white sugar instead of brown, but it is sooo good!
Thank you so much for trying the recipe, Traci! I’m so glad you loved it!
How long to you leave them in the over if you do muffins? I’m not sure if I need to cut the time down or not.
Hi Lynne, I have a note on this in the recipe, we love this Banana Bread so much we even created Banana Muffins from this recipe.
Really super moist. Amazing quite actually. Mine came out very dark, but so tasty. Used more bananas and they were way past their prime. But good for banana bread. I guess the raisins are key.
I made this bread, and my family LOVES it!! I made 2 loaves yesterday, and they’re both gone already. I added a pinch of cinnamon to mine, it was amazing.
That sounds wonderful! This disappears fast in our house too! I’m glad you loved it!
Hi! Can’t wait to try this! Is the honey to sugar 1:1? Thanks. Love so many of your recipes!
Hi Karen, yes- replace it 1:1 with honey. If your bananas are sweet very ripe, you can even use less.
Y’all! This is the best recipe I have found and I have made several!
I used 4 bananas instead of 3 and it was sooooo moist!! Incredible! This is my go-to recipe now ❤️
I did turn the heat down to 340 about 30 min and used a loose tin foil cover the rest of the 25ish min because it browned kind of quick on the top.
Hi Cindy! Thank you for sharing. I’m so glad you found a new go-to recipe!
I follllowed the recipe exactyly. The bottom was over done and the middle was goey. How do I fix this? Thanks
Hi Debbie! Did you use a different size pan by chance? It could be the type of material your pan is made of, different materials distribute heat differently. Check the placement of your oven rack to ensure it’s not too close to the heating element and I highly encourage the use of an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure your oven is heating correctly. I hope that helps.
I made this banana bread with chocolate chips and it is delicious! The batter is a lot more runny than I’m used to, so I was a little worried, but it turned out beautifully.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Adrianna!
This banana bread was so delicious and moist I don’t care for raisins but I happened to have chopped dates I used really tasty thank you as always for sharing your favorite recipes, still looking for a white birthday cake recipe God Bless 🙌
That’s wonderful, Sandi! Thank you for sharing.
I made a gluten free version of this cake and it came out amazing!
Flour substitution:
For 1-1/2 C flour, I substituted 1C buckwheat flour and a 1/2 cup tapioca starch (sometimes it’s called tapioca flour).
I use these flours a lot to substite for regular flour. And buckwheat is very nutritious.
Thank you Natasha for creating these excellent recipes!
That’s great, Rachel! Thank you so much for sharing that with us!
I want to use this recipe but put it in a muffin tin instead, how long do you suggest I bake for?
Hi Ava! You can reference my Banana muffin recipe
I am 50
Year young woman and I am not a baker. I made my FIRST banana bread last night with this recipe. My husband and I love it!!
Thank you
Yay great job, Susan! I’m so glad that it was a huge success.
This is my favorite banana bread recipe!! For a while I had a problem with it baking through all the way, but I found using only 2 bananas instead of three really helps! Thank you for sharing my now go-to ^^
I’m so glad you found a new favorite on my blog! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Tried it just now, very minimal effort, after a long day at work and without an appropriate baking tray, but it still turned out amazingly moist and delicious. My roommate loved it too!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Aditya!
I’ve made this recipe 3 times now in the past 4 weeks and it comes out perfect each time. My new favorite banana bread recipe!
That’s so great! I’m so glad you found a favorite on my blog, Victoria! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Best Banana Bread EVER! This is hands down the moistest I’ve ever had/made. NO warming w/butter required!
The absolute best banana bread I have made. My husband loved it. I gave half the loaf to a friend and my husband told her it was the best banana bread he has ever had. I followed the recipe exactly as shown, except for the addition of the raisins and walnuts.
That’s wonderful, Terry! Thank you for the feedback!
Made this today. Since my bananas were super ripe, I used maybe 1/3 cup of sugar and the remaining 2tbps of honey I had in the container. Added a bit of cinnamon and cardamom. Really tasty bread! This will be my breakfast all week!
Thank you for sharing, Kathy!
I made this for the first time & baked it for 55 mins. The bottom part was overcooked and it was dry.
Does baking it in an Induction oven make a difference in how long to bake it?
Hi Irene, I bake on normal bake mode, it may be the type of oven or how close it was to the heating element.
I had a similar issue in my regular oven. at 350 degrees, after 30 mins the outside seemed fully cooked but the inside was definitely not. Then at 55 mins the outside of the bread was slightly overcooked and slightly dry but the inside was perfectly moist. Still a very tasty bread though. I wonder if I need to use a lower temperature as a solution?
Hi Nicole. Did you use a different size pan? That makes a difference. Every oven bakes differently so it may take some experimentation. This recipe is written for a conventional oven on regular bake mode. I would highly encourage the use of an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to see if your oven is heating correctly.
I saw this recipe online and decided to make it and I’m so glad I did. It is delicious. So moist and flavorful. I can’t wait to try your other desserts.
Hi Debra! I’m so glad to hear that. I hope you find many more recipes to enjoy.
I’ve baked many different banana bread recipes through the years. This recipe is my forever one! I just baked mine for 10 mins. less. Turned out very moist. Also, next time I’m going to use golden raisins.
I’ve baked so many different banana bread recipes through the years. This is my new forever recipe! I just baked mine for 10 mins. less. It was perfectly moist and delicious. Also, next time I’m going to use golden raisins.
Sounds good, I’m so glad that you loved our Banana Bread Recipe of all the other recipes that you tried. Thanks for sharing!
I used golden raisins too. Between the raisins and ripe bananas I needed much less sugar than called for in the recipe which is always a plus
As delicious as any BB I’ve made, and simpler!
My subs:
1/2 ww pastry flour
1/2 packed brown sugar
dried figs for 1/2 walnuts
I doubled the recipe and, despite using smaller pans, it filled them perfectly.
Thanks for sharing!
I love, love, love this recipe! It came out perfect. It was very moist. Thank you for this recipe.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Penny!
I love, love, love this recipe! It came out perfect and was very moist. Thank you for this recipe.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Penny!
MMM MMM MMM! Delicious!!!😍 I made double the amount presented in this recipe using 6 medium size banana & half of a medium . 🤭🫶🏽 ssooo sooo soo goooddd! We absolutely loved it
So glad you all loved it!
Followed the recipe to a “T”, minus the raisins and walnuts because I don’t have any. It is soooo good. I love it. I want to make more. I’ll have to pick up some raisins…
I’m so glad you loved it, Julie!
Tried this recipe today and my husband asked me where the recipe came from-then begged me to SAVE it! called it bakery quality bread. I look forward to trying more of your recipes.
Yay thanks for the lovely review, Sandra!
Was not good in my families opinion.
The walnuts overpowered..Not sure if it’s because they were toasted (which I never do but thought i would try), or too many in the recipe?
The banana bread was way too bitter from the nuts, & not sweet enough. I think the nuts over powered to where the bread didn’t taste sweet at all.
Hi Mindy! We’ve had it both ways with and without nuts and have great results either way. This is our favorite banana bread recipe, it has hundreds of 5-star reviews. The bread has good flavor with enough sweetness. It’s recommended to use very ripe bananas for best flavor and sweetness. Regarding the bitter taste- be sure to measure your baking soda correctly, using too much can create a bitter taste. Toasting the nuts is actually known to minimize the bitterness of raw nuts. Taste your walnuts beforehand, nuts can also become bitter and taste “off” if they are rancid either from age or improper storing.
I hope that helps if you decide to try the recipe again.
I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR A BANANA bread recipe For A long time!!!
THIS ONE IS LIKE MY GRANDMA EHLERS RECIPE
THANKS FOR SHARING THIS WITH US
Glad you found our recipe!
This is the best recipe for banana bread ever. I had a banana left over so I added it and it came out beautifully moist. Everyone raves about this bread. Thank you for posting this recipe.
That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you for sharing.
I would like to make this into cupcakes, has anyone done that, do you have the cooking time?
Hi Kimberly! You can reference the Banana muffin recipe here.
The best recipe I have tried. I love it and so does my family. Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Caro! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Unfortunately mine came out flat. I would add baking powder to the recipe.
Hi Nikki! We’ve had excellent results using baking soda as the leaving agent. Did you follow the recipe as written? Using too much banana can weigh down your batter and not allow it to rise properly. Also, be sure to fully preheat your oven before baking and allow it to fully bake. Sometimes it will appear baked on the outside but not fully baked in the middle and this can cause it to collapse when it’s removed from the oven.
Thought it was great! Very easy & loved the taste & texture. Didn’t have raisins but will try next time – or maybe currants or chopped cherries? That taste & texture will be a new one for me, but is sounds intriguing so will ease into it 😉 100% approved by my grandson – who also very much enjoyed watching the process!
Hello Carol, thanks for sharing! Great to hear that you loved it and yoru grandson did too!
This recipe was easy to follow and it turned out tasty! However, I think it needs 4 bananas instead of three and it would make it perfect.
Hi Courtney! I’m glad you enjoyed it. Be sure to use bananas that are ripe enough or they will not have as much flavor and the bread will be lacking the banana flavor. Many of my readers have used 4 bananas in this as well with good results.
I l;oved this recipe! I would love to see the recipe have how many measuring cups of bananas instead of 3 bananas, as all bananas are not the same size. I looked it up online, and it said 3 bananas is equal to 2 cups bananas. Is that correct, Natasha?
Hi Bridget, 3 bananas are roughly 1 cup mashed.
Hi Natasha, this recipe has got to be the easiest most delicious banana bread out there, hands down. Skipped the raisins & nuts and its still amazing! I used 4 small to medium bananas. The only thing I really wish you’d do is : provide an exact cup measurement of mashed bananas, (as others have also asked). I know you’ve said 3 large bananas make about a cup but depending on where you you buy them “large” can vary greatly, and I think providing an additional cup measurement option with this recipe would give a lot of us more confidence in making it. That being said, thank you so much for dynamite banana bread!
Thank you! I wish I measured them that way but thanks for the feedack. I appreciate your review and we’re so glad that you loved it!
Hello Natasha.
If I double the recipe, but only have 5 bananas would it ruin it?
I haven’t tested that but I would double the ingredients too if I want to be safe.
The taste is good, but I followed the instructions directly and it came out a little wet. It was baked for an hour. I even did the toothpick method and it came out clean so I aafigured it was done. How can I make it more dry? I measured everything exactly.
Hi Samantha! This recipe has been tested and proved to have great results as written, with hundreds of 5-star reviews. A couple of things to help troubleshoot. If the ratios are off, your bread texture will be affected. I recommend watching my tutorial on How to measure ingredients to ensure you’re measuring correctly. Also, I highly encourage the use of an Internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure your oven is fully preheated before your start baking and to ensure the oven is calibrated well. Lastly, did you use the same size pan? If you are using a different pan, that will change the baking time. If your pan is smaller and deeper, it would take a lot longer to bake through. I hope that helps.
Oh my goodness Natasha! I have been making banana bread for many years and I thought I would try your recipe. I followed it exactly and it was absolutely amazing! I’ve never added raisins before and wow, what a great addition! Thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Yay thank you for trying out my recipe and I’m really happy that you loved it!
This is the most moist, flavorful banana bread I’ve made. I never have eggs so I subbed flax eggs. It didn’t rise as much as yours but was still so good. I’m going to continue to try to improve the rise using the flax eggs. Thanks so much for the great recipe!
Aaw love it! Thank you so much for your wonderful comments and feedback, Mary Ann.
The mark of a good recipe is when you can “throw in what you have” and not do the most careful job of it, and it still comes out tasting incredible! I used pecans and chocolate chips (what I had available), measured sloppily (full disclosure), used gluten-free flour, mixed everything by hand, and baked it in an 8″ round cake pan for 30 min. This easily rivals the best banana bread I’ve ever made, even when I actually tried.
That’s amazing to hear, Angela! So glad you loved this recipe.
I looked for a different banana bread recipe and chose this one because it used the word moist in its description. Far from it. My search for a good banana bread recipe continues. If I could rate it zero stars I would.
Hi Doug! This recipe has been tested and proved time after time with hundreds of 5-star reviews. Did you make any substitutions? My thought would be that either your ingredients were not measured correctly or it was over baked and dried out. Be sure to watch my tutorial on How to measure ingredients . Using too much flour would cause this to be dry. I hope that helps in your baking endeavors.
Super recipe… I made a triple batch because we had that many bananas that were overripe. Turned out great, and I added chocolate chips to the batter, and made them in 9″ cake pans. They cooked perfectly, and I’m going to freeze 2 and keep one out for breakfasts and snacks. We’ll, maybe freeze 1,one in the fridge and one out. I know they won’t last long.
Sounds wonderful! Thank you for the feedback.
I loved it-
I am a single mom and I have been making a few extra dollars making them for friends and family..
thank you
Took a pic but no way of uploading
Soo pretty ma’am
Thank u
You’re welcome, Araceli! I’m glad you loved the recipe. You can tag me on Instagram or Facebook. #natashaskitchen
Hi Natasha. My name is Devi. I just made this recipe, but I skip walnut and raisin, coz I don’t have any of them. But still I like it. This is good. I will definitely made this recipe again.
Thanks for sharing *hug.
That’s great, Devi! I’m glad you loved the recipe!
I would like to make mini loaves. How long would it need to be baked for? What temp?
I haven’t tested making this to mini loaves yet to advise of the temperature and time.
Yum,
I doubled the recipe and used half the sugar, plus I added an extra banana..they made great muffins for the grandkids and me!
Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I used the recipe yesterday, with some minor modifications. I had two large and two small bananas (so four in all) and I used frozen blueberries rather than nuts and raisins. The cook time had to be extended a bit given the extra “wetness,” but it is a great recipe for super easy moist and tasty banana bread. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing, Hope! I’m glad you love the recipe!
I made 2 loaves of this delicious bread. So moist & easy to make.
My new go to recipe. I omit the raisins & used 4 bananas. Thank you Natasha…
Yay wonderful! Thanks so much for your good comments and feedback, we appreciate it.
This is my go to banana bread recipe. I do 4 bananas instead of 3, makes it more bananaie.. I also add chocolate chips and raisins as well! Super good!
Thank you for sharing! I’m so glad you love it.
Delicious! I made two loaves. One with brown sugar and cinnamon and the second I followed the recipe exactly. My husband was taking one to work tomorrow but couldn’t resist a slightly warm slice. All I had were almost green bananas so I roasted them in the oven for 20 minutes at 250°. My house never sneaked so good. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome! I hope it becomes a hit at your husband’s workplace too. Thanks so much for this review.
I’ve made banana bread before but my first time using this recipe was yesterday to bring to a family gathering. Everyone LOVED IT!! Also a bit upset I’ve never made it for them before.
Guess what I’m doing right now? Making another loaf.. hands down the absolute best recipe! Thank you for sharing.
Wow! Thanks so much for this awesome review. It always makes me smile when I see comments like this, thanks for sharing!
I just made this beautiful desert and I put cranberries and raisins and I had 5 really ripe bananas I put butter on mine but it’s so good a cup a tea with heaven my second or so time using this recipe oh I also used honey
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
moist af if you don’t add raisins xD
srs. i added a extra half banana and i don’t even know if i added the ‘right amount’ of flour but it turned out moist af without raisins and extra 1/2 banana. tried this recipe by the book the first time and the raisins are just not a good idea for this. put them in the oatmeal raisin cookies : )
Hi Aaron. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
I always soak my raisins for 30 minutes or so. This way they won’t draw so much moisture from the bread. Just a suggestion, especially if they have been in your cupboard awhile.
I always soak my raisins in boiling water for at least 20 minutes before using in cookies or bread – my mom taught me that 😊
Delicious and easy. I just used one bowl and did everything in that one. I also used dried cherries since I didn’t have raisins. I did coat them in flour before I added so they wouldn’t sink.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Heidi!
Natasha you are amazing, this bread is a hit with my kids
I’m so glad to hear that, Meredith! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
I LOVE banana bread but have never had any success baking it for some reason. I had three overripe bananas and saw all the positive recent reviews, so I thought I would try again. And let me tell you, I’m so glad I did! I followed the recipe exactly (omitted the raisins and walnuts as we’re not fans) and it turned out perfect. My loaf pan is a bit smaller so I ended up having to bake it for 1 hour, 5 minutes. This will now be my go-to recipe. Thank you for sharing it with us!
You’re so very welcome. I’m glad you found a new go to!
I used this recipe and it came out beautifully. So moist! My tweaks were: Added butterscotch and salted caramel chips, changed sugar to brown sugar and increased vanilla to 4 tbsp (for 3 loaves).
Hi Candy! That sounds great, thank you for sharing with us.
I have a question about the use of baking soda instead of baking powder. In the recipe ingredients there is nothing for the baking soda to react with (such as yoghurt or lemon) so why use baking soda instead of baking powder, which doesn’t require an acid to react with?
HI Craig, mashed bananas are acidic enough on their own to react with the baking soda.
I’ve always avoided banana bread because I hade walnuts hidden in baked goods.
I don’t know why it never occurred to me to just make my own.
I made this recipe tonight with no nuts, and doubled the raisins. It is delightful.
Thanks for the easy recipe.
That’s wonderful, Michael! Thanks for trying the recipe!
Just finished baking this for the first time. Used Einkorn flour instead of AP and substituted olive oil for butter. Also used pecans as I am out of walnuts and omitted raisins. My husband loved it so much he asked for seconds. Great recipe.
Glad to hear that the subs that you used work great too! Thanks so much for sharing.
Made this for a potluck, total hit. Stole the last few slices for myself. Hubby asked “is there anymore of that banana bread left?” Toddler begged me for slice after slice and then when we ran out he cried. 5 stars
Yay, so happy to hear that it was a huge hit!