American · Breads & baking

Classic banana bread

Name: Classic banana bread
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 1 9-by-5-inch loaf
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 8 tablespoons unsalted butter; 3 very ripe medium bananas, about 1 1/4 cups mashed; 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts, optional

A tall, moist quick bread with deep ripe-banana flavor, browned butter, vanilla, and a tender crumb.

About 1 hr 50 minTotal

About 1 hr 20 minActive

$Cost

EasyDifficulty

Makes 1 9-by-5-inch loaf

Equipment

Light-colored saucepan
Use an 8.5 × 4.5- or 9 × 5-inch pan; dark pans may need an earlier doneness check.
Best standard loaf pan
USA Pan 1-Pound Loaf Pan · 1140LF
View at Amazon
Another workable path: Use an 8.5 × 4.5- or 9 × 5-inch pan; dark pans may need an earlier doneness check.
Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, Kwilt earns from qualifying purchases.
How we chose
Research-backed · reviewed Aug 2026
We matched the recipe’s pan dimensions and dough capacity, then checked material, heat limit, coating care, stable model identity, and exact retail destination. Kwilt has not baked with this pan.
USA Pan 1-Pound Loaf Pan · 1140LF: Its standard one-pound footprint matches the catalog’s 9-by-5-inch household loaves closely and the reinforced aluminized steel supports even, repeatable browning. Trade-off: The silicone nonstick coating requires hand washing and nonmetal utensils, and the maker advises against cooking spray.
Another workable path: Use another light-colored 8.5-by-4.5- or 9-by-5-inch loaf pan; darker pans may brown faster and need an earlier check.
Sources
USA Pan 1140LF specifications
Amazon exact product listing

Ingredients

1× recipe · Makes 1 9-by-5-inch loaf

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 very ripe medium bananas, about 1 1/4 cups mashed
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt or sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts, optional

Instructions

Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and parchment-line a . Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium, stirring until milk solids turn amber and smell nutty; immediately pour into a large bowl and cool 5 minutes.
Whisk mashed banana, brown sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla into the butter until combined. In another bowl whisk flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Fold dry ingredients into wet only until a few flour streaks remain; fold in walnuts if using. Scrape into the pan and smooth the top without beating out the batter.
Bake 55 to 65 minutes until a tester in the center has moist crumbs but no wet batter and the center reaches 200–205°F. Tent loosely with foil if the top browns before the center sets.
Cool in the pan 15 minutes, lift onto a rack, and cool at least 30 minutes more before slicing. Wrap only when completely cool; trapped steam makes the crust sticky.

United StatesNorth America · twentieth-century American quick-bread tradition

From the table

About this recipe

Banana bread became a recognizable American quick bread in the 1930s, when bananas were broadly available and commercial baking soda and baking powder made chemically leavened loaves dependable at home. Depression-era thrift also made using very ripe fruit attractive instead of discarding it.

Recipes evolved across later decades with changing ideas about convenience, richness, whole grains, spices, and nuts, but mashed banana, flour, fat, sweetener, and chemical leavening remained the core. This version is a modern rich branch: brown butter and brown sugar deepen flavor, yogurt supports moisture, and walnuts remain optional.

Sources

Dinner does not stop at the recipe