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.
Mine wasn’t cooked on the inside but it was almost overly browned on top.
Hi Jackie! Did you use the recommended pan size? Are you using a convection (fan) oven or setting in the oven? This recipe is written for a conventional oven. If the bread baked too fast on the outside and was raw in the middle it sounds like it was an overheated oven. Do you have an internal oven thermometer (Amazon affiliate link) to ensure it’s heating correctly? I highly recommend getting one. I use it all the time when baking. Also- make sure the oven rack is not too close to the top heating element. I hope that helps.
It was moist & good. Definitely had to check to avoid over cooking. Mine were done it 35 minutes. I used pecans instead of walnuts & applied butter on top of bread after baking.
Excellent!! Added pecans to walnuts and the toasting before baking really enhanced the taste! 2x time making it. Didn’t have baking soda so used 3 tsp baking powder and cut the salt. Still great with a crunchy top.
Incredible recipe, one of my new favorites. Love how it’s slightly toasted on the outside and moist on the inside.
I have made 4 banana bread loafs all did not rise, I followed your recipe, but I must be doing something wrong. They were flat, good but flat.
Could it be that you used too much flour of baking soda? Check my post on How to Measure Ingredients, this can help.
Love it! Family loves ❤️ it. Very close to how my late mother made it. 🥹 We couldn’t find her recipe. Thank you for sharing.
I’m so glad you found this recipe!
Mine was flat, not at all like the video. Tasted ok
You might have used too much flour of baking soda. Check my post on How to Measure Ingredients, this can help.
Hello! Your recipe is AMAZING! If I wanted to double it, is there anything that should be tweaked?
Hi Alex! Thank you. We’ve made more than one loaf by doubling the recipe. No changes needed.
I made your banana bread with her recipe it came out beautiful. Thank you so much and I appreciate you to share with everyone with awesome recipes 🌹🌹🌹
I’m so glad you loved the recipe! Thank you for the feedback.
Natasha is SUPER amazing. I enjoy watching her videos, she makes baking FUN !!!!
Thank you so much for that thoughtful feedback. It really means so much to me!
I made your banana bread for the first time and it came out beautiful. Thank you for all your great recipes.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Anne!
I can’t forget this amazing banana bread recipe! I’ve been making it for about 4 years now, and it’s a total hit with my family and friends. I use Brazil nuts, but I recently switched to dried cranberries instead of raisins, and it turned out to be absolutely delicious.
Thanks so much, Natasha!
That sounds wonderful, Soraya! I’m so glad you’re loving the recipe!
The best banana bread recipe ever!! I’ve made it exactly, switched up to whole meal flour, used pecans instead of walnuts, added pumpkin seeds.
This recipe is unbreakable, no matter the changes, it is always delicious!!
Hi i wanted to try this out. Can i add cinnamon in this recipe?
Yes. You can add cinnamon. Many of my viewers have added this to their loaf as well. I hope you’ll have the recipe.
Made it last night. 1 cup walnuts is WAY too much. It is like nut bread. Can’t even taste the 5 medium bananas. Otherwise good 😔
This banana bread is so good! I always struggle to get quick breads to come out right, usually too dry or tasting like baking soda. This came out absolutely perfect, even though I split the butter (my bananas were very cold). Def going in the rotation!
Hi! Am excited to try out this recipe. My baking tin is 30cm x 11cm. Would you recommend doubling the recipe?
Hi Bernice, I haven’t tried this recipe in that size pan, but I recommend using THIS Adapt Baking Recipes to Fit Different Pan Sizes Guide.
My new favorite recipe!!!! It’s delicious and soft and easy to make 😋. Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad to hear that, Kelly!
will this recipe work in high altitude, or does it need an adjustment?
Hi Sherry! I don’t have experience with high-altitude baking but you can find more tips on High Altitude Baking HERE.
I am in Colorado, Glenwood Springs and needed to make no changes.
Great recipe! I make 2 loafs of this weekly. Adding 1 tablespoon of water and 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the top after filling the loaf pan with the batter is the icing on the cake.
Oh my goodness!! I always wondered how to get the top kinda crusty!! This is perfect!!