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
Filed Under
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.
I have made so many different banana bread recipes, but this is THE BEST! It’s moist and so flavorful. My grandsons will love it!!
Where is the liquid at? Besides, eggs, butter, & vanilla???
Hi Jeananne, no need for it! This recipe has the perfect balance and texture without it. I hope you love it.
If I used salted butter, do I omit the 1/2 tsp of salt?
Hi Esther, you can omit it yes, although I have seen in the comments that some readers loved using salted butter and leaving salt and some preferred to omit it. I hope you love this recipe.
Made this today and it was so wonderful! I subbed by removing 1 Tbsp flour and replaced with same amount of flax meal. Used whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Also omitted raisins. Only baked for 45 minutes in Breville smart convection oven. Absolutely perfect. Thank you for such a great recipe.
Just made this, except instead of raisins I added a boat load of chocolate chips. I love it! It’s huge so I’m sharing it with my neighbors!
This recipe is perfect! All of my friends and family love it! I make it all the time!
delicious and very moist
My wife is allergic to Walnuts and Pecans. Is there an alternative you can recommend for this recipe? Or will the recipe still work if I leave the nuts out altogether?
Hi there! You can omit the nuts and the banana bread will still be delicious!
As always, i just made moist banana bread following your recipe, with raisins and semi sweet chocolates. My hubby loved it so much.
Thank u for sharing your recipes.
Love this recipe! I substitute the sugar for brown sugar, add semi sweet chocolate , craisins and walnuts! Delicious
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us, AM!
I put vanilla sugar instead of vanilla extract but its still cooling so ya
Doubled recipe and used pecans in place of walnuts (what was on hand🤪) lovely recipe/ tastes great. Thank you for sharing
How long did you cook the bread with two loaves?
I made the “more healthy” variant you suggest (1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup wholewheat flour + 1/2 cup all purpose, 1 tbsp ground flax). I also added 2 tsp Mixed Spice, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 tsp ground ginger. Great flavors and textures; plenty sweet enough despite the reduced sugar – v ripe bananas and the raisins help. Slightly drier and heavier than other recipes I have used (probably due to the flour?) but still moist enough for us. I am also wondering whether to substitute the butter for olive oil next time – has anyone tried that?.
The best Banana bread I have ever made! So moist. I’ve never used raisins before in banana bread. I will make it this way from now on!
I added 1/3 cup more sugar because I like breakfast bread a tad bit sweeter than most folks lol still came out absolutely perfect and very moist. Didn’t last long at all. Wonder what would happen if I doubled the recipe and used a bread loaf pan instead of a small loaf pan?
I’m so happy you loved it, Ray! I haven’t tried this recipe in that size pan, but I recommend using THIS Adapt Baking Recipes to Fit Different Pan Sizes Guide.
I love this recipe! I’ve made it many times and my family eats it immediately. My kids have requested that I add chocolate chips. Can I do that and if so, how many regular size chips should I add?
Hi Diane! You sure can. I have a Chocolate Chip Banana Breadrecipe here!
I was thinking of using a mixture of AP flour and cornstarch for a cake like texture. What ratio would you recommend?
Hi Debbie! I’ve had a few viewers report negative results using cake flour. I don’t recommended using it unless a recipe specifically calls for it. If you wish to proceed, you can follow my Cake Flour Substitute recipe here.
I make this probably once every 2 weeks 🙂 I purposely let my bananas get ripe 😀
LOVE THIS RECIPE <3
I prepared the banana bread and lowered the amount of sugar, added more toasted walnuts and chocolate chip cookies and my co-workers loved it.
Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Marianella.
Literally the best banana bread recipe ever. The top is nice and sweet, and the inside is very mois
Mine came out too wet in the middle. What did I do wrong?
I had a similar problem, but my bananas were very large bananas and it was only a small wet spot, it still came out amazing. Not sure if it has to do with that?