Baking
Easy One-Bowl Banana Bread
Moist, deeply flavoured banana bread made in one bowl with no mixer — the best use for spotty bananas.
By the Forkful editorial team · Published
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Makes
- 10 slices
Bread is the second most searched recipe category on Google, and banana bread is the single bread people look up the most. It is easy to see why: it uses ingredients you already have, it rescues bananas that are past their best, and it needs nothing more than a bowl and a fork.
This version is all about flavour and texture: very ripe bananas for sweetness, melted butter for a tender crumb, and brown sugar for a hint of caramel. Mix gently, bake slowly, and let it cool before you slice — it is even better the next day.
Ingredients
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- 3 very ripe bananas
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth (a few small lumps are fine).
- Stir in the melted butter, then the brown sugar, egg and vanilla.
- Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the batter and stir them in. Add the flour and fold gently, just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Pour into the pan and bake for 55–65 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil after 40 minutes.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
Tips for the best result
- 1The darker the bananas, the better the bread. To ripen them fast, bake them in their skins at 300°F (150°C) for 15–20 minutes until black.
- 2Overmixing makes banana bread tough and gummy — stop folding as soon as the flour disappears.
- 3Weighing the flour (190 g) is the easiest way to avoid a dry loaf.
- 4Making more? Bake two loaves in two pans; a deeper single pan will not bake through evenly.
Storage
Wrap well and keep at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Slices freeze beautifully for up to 3 months — toast them straight from frozen.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?
It was most likely underbaked, or the oven door was opened too early. Test with a skewer in the very centre before taking it out.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
Yes — use the same amount of a neutral oil. The loaf will be slightly moister but with a little less buttery flavour.
Can I make banana bread muffins?
Divide the batter between 12 lined muffin cups and bake for 20–25 minutes at the same temperature.
