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 can not say enough good words for your recipes! I have used so many and they all turn out delicious and this was the first time I attempted banana bread and it was wonderful! Thank you for all the great recipes!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Laura. It means a lot to me.
It tasted okay and it was moist, but I’ve had better. I think it should have some brown sugar. I’m going back to my old recipe.
10/10 this was THE BEST banana bread recipe! My bread came out moist and soft and so delicious.. My family killed it and have been asking me to make another one..
Awesome! Thank you for the perfect rating and excellent review!
PURRRFECCCT
everything is as claimed. Changed nothing except that I added two bananas since I only had two but even so….. perfect
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you.
Love the recipe …awesome! for got to include in prior post. Thanks
Thank you for sharing!
Yikes.. I melted the butter when i tried to soften it quicker. Will that ruin the batter when i mix with the sugar?
I accidentally used self rising flour. What will that do to it
Hi Susan, without testing that substitution, it’s difficult to guess how that would turn out. Keep in mind that Self-rising flour combines all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Each cup (about 120 gm) self-rising flour has about 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
The Banana bread was delish! I am at a high altitude, so I am glad I took it out a few mins early. The flavor was amazing! Thank you.
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Audi! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi, if I want to double the portion do I need to x 2 for each ingredients?
Hi Michelle. Yes- you’d double every ingredient to make a double batch. You can change the serving size at the top of the recipe card and it will convert the ingredients list for you.
Your description is correct, it is seriously the best banana bread I have ever made! Have made it multiple times now and always get compliments! Thank you for sharing!
That’s wonderful to hear! Thank you.
Hi i read some of the comments and understood that for convection oven the time n temp needs to be adjusted. My banana cake’s crust got almost burnt but the rest of the bread was fine n tastes great. i had baked it at 170 C for 55 mins. As a hack Can i put a wired rack along with aluminium foil to cover the top . Or you suggest bakin at lower temperature. Please help. Thanks
Hi Saima! I’ve only made this recipe in a conventional oven using regular bake mode. I don’t have the time and temperature for a convection oven. I’m sorry. A convection oven bakes faster, so yes- the temperature would need to be lowered and likely the time adjusted.
I tried out this recipe and it turned out moist and delicious. People loved it. Thank you very much, Natasha, for sharing this delightful recipe!
You’re very welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe. It’s one of our favorites!
Searched a long time for this recipe. Tried a lot but this one is moist and yummy as advertised.
I’m so glad to hear that, Camille! Thanks for trying my recipe.
About to try this…if I leave out the raisins, do I need to add more nuts?
Hi Shelia, I address this under the ‘Can I Omit Walnuts and Raisins?’ section of the recipe. I hope you love this Banana Bread!
My go to !!! Quick and easy and tastes great. My wife likes this recipe the best of all the ones I have made. Now it the only one !
Yay so happy to hear that!
It slays with taste 👅 gorly
Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo goooooooooooood!
Thank you! I’m so glad you enjoyed the banana bread!
We have made this hundreds of times! This recipe never disappoints!!!
I was about to bake and realised I have run out of white sugar. Would brown sugar be a problem?
Thank you, so glad that you always use and love this recipe! ome of my readers have reported using brown sugar, or substituting a certain amount mixed with granulated sugar. It can change the texture and make it more dense and it will have more of a molasses flavor.
Thank you for a swift reply! I’ll rather stick to the original and run to the grocery shop 😄
I’ve made this recipe dozens of time (sans nuts) and it never disappoints, so this time as I was pouring the batter into the pan I knew i had done something wrong, there didn’t seem to be enough batter. Turns out I added only one cup of flour instead of 1 and 1/2 cups. Sadly I realized that AFTER I put it in the oven to bake. It was done after 50 minutes and did not resemble the usual loaf. It has a shiny , sorta crackly exterior and it didn’t rise to the top of the loaf pan. I was not optimistic, but after letting it cool I tasted it and it was scrumptious!!! Very dense and moist with a lot of banana flavor and the best part was the thin, crusty, sweet lacy exterior. So sometimes a mistake surprises you!
I’m so glad it still tasted well, mistakes are good surprises like you said! Here’s to a better outcome next time!
Haven’t cut into yet but it looks and smells delicious! I used a dark pan at 350 and still needed to bake for an hour and 10 minutes for middle to cook. Covered with foil the last 15 minutes.
I hope you enjoyed it!
Hi I make this once a week! I absolutely love it. I do add chocolate chips (not alot) and walnuts lightly on top,I also sprinkle a bit of cinnamon on top as well.
Great Banana Bread recipe!
I’m so glad you’re loving the recipe! Thank you for the feedback.
For us non-bakers, when I double the recipe, the instructions don’t double. 🙁 Added 1.5 cups of flour and then……wait, what? What do I do with the other 1.5 cups of flour?? Maybe a glitch, maybe just me. 🙁 I got it…eventually!
Hi Rick! Yes, unfortunately the instructions don’t update, just the recipe card. There is not a feature for that at the moment.
Substitute:
– 1/2 cup unsalted butter FOR 1/2 cup salted butter
– 1 cup walnuts FOR 2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
– 1/2 raisins FOR 2/3 cup fresh blueberries
Mega hit with the room mates. Loved it.
Thanks for sharing, glad you all enjoyed it!
Best banana bread I ever made. I usually make a recipe with buttermilk. I was out of buttermilk and I decided to try this recipe because there were thousands of people that gave it a 5 star review. It is so moist with a crispy crust. It is so excellent!
And I am at very high altitude and it came out great!
I will be writing this down In my daughter’s recipe book, and on a recipe card for myself. It was fabulous!
*Also wanted to add that I added an extra banana and a little more flour to this recipe and it came out excellent.
That’s awesome that you’ll be adding my recipe to your daughter’s recipe book. So happy that you enjoyed it a lot!