Preparation Time: 1 hour 5 minutes Servings: 6 Complexity: Light
It’s hard to imagine our lives—or the fruit aisles of supermarkets—without bananas. Yet, they only appeared in cookbooks relatively recently. In the U.S., bananas started to feature in recipes around the 1920s and 1930s, with banana bread becoming especially popular during this time. Some attribute its rise to the Great Depression, when cooks sought to make the most of their ingredients, using overripe bananas rather than wasting them. Others believe banana bread gained popularity thanks to companies promoting leavening agents. Regardless of its origins, this easy-to-make, banana-based treat remains a favorite in homes and coffee shops worldwide. If you haven’t tried it yet, I highly recommend making this fluffy banana bread.
Tips for Making Banana Bread
Use Overripe Bananas: Darkened, soft bananas are perfect for this recipe. They blend smoothly into the batter, making the bread more tender and flavorful.
Choose the Right Baking Pan: Banana bread is traditionally baked in a rectangular loaf pan. I recommend using a pan approximately 25 x 11 cm in size. This classic shape distinguishes banana bread from banana muffins, which often come in a variety of shapes.
Prepare the Pan: To prevent sticking, coat the pan with what’s known as a “French shirt.” Grease the pan with butter, sprinkle it with flour, and shake off any excess.
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 3 bananas
- 200 g flour
- 100 g butter
- 5 tbsp sugar (100-150 g)
- 10 g vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 50 g butter (for greasing the pan)
Step-by-Step Recipe for Banana Bread
Step 1: Preheat and PreparePreheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Prepare the loaf pan using the “French shirt” method described above. In a mixing bowl, combine 3 bananas, 2 eggs, 200 g of flour, 100 g of softened butter, 5 tbsp of sugar, 10 g of vanilla sugar, and 1 tsp of baking powder. Blend the ingredients together until smooth. If you don’t have a blender, start by whisking the eggs and sugar, then add the butter and mashed bananas. Finally, fold in the flour and baking powder. The batter should be thick, similar to the consistency of heavy sour cream.
Step 2: BakePour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes.
Step 3: ServeEnjoy the banana bread either hot or chilled. For an extra tender dessert, I recommend brushing the top with a little butter before serving.
Cooking is easy!