Moist Tender Banana Loaf (Print view)

A moist and tender banana loaf enriched with nuts and chocolate chips, perfect for breakfast or snacks.

# What You'll Need:

→ Wet Ingredients

01 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - ½ cup (120 ml) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
04 - ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
05 - ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar
06 - 1 tsp vanilla extract

→ Dry Ingredients

07 - 1¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
08 - 1 tsp baking soda
09 - ½ tsp salt
10 - ½ tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

→ Add-ins (optional)

11 - ½ cup (80 g) chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - ½ cup (70 g) chocolate chips

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon if using.
04 - Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
05 - Fold in the chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips if desired.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and evenly smooth the surface.
07 - Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean or with a few moist crumbs.
08 - Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Slice and serve.

# Expert Ideas:

01 -
  • The texture is impossibly tender and moist without being dense or gummy.
  • It comes together in your kitchen in less than two hours and fills your home with the kind of smell that makes people linger.
  • No special techniques or rare ingredients—just pure, straightforward baking comfort.
02 -
  • Overmixing is the biggest mistake—it's tempting to blend everything into a smooth batter, but folding gently is what keeps this bread tender and crumbly instead of tough.
  • Underbaked banana bread keeps cooking as it cools, so erring slightly on the side of slightly moist is better than overbaking and ending up with dry slices.
03 -
  • For extra moisture and a deeper flavor, use banana puree from the freezer when you have time—freeze overripe bananas in portions, then thaw them when you're ready to bake.
  • If your batter seems thin or wet, you can add a tablespoon of flour, but trust it; the bananas release moisture as they bake and your bread will turn out perfect.
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