Moist banana bread options (Print View)

Tender banana bread featuring chocolate chips or nuts for added texture and flavor.

# Components:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Fruit

08 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)

→ Optional Add-Ins

09 - 3/4 cup chocolate chips
10 - 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
03 - Using a mixer or whisk, beat the softened butter with granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
04 - Add eggs one at a time into the butter-sugar mixture, beating well after each addition, then stir in vanilla extract.
05 - Stir in the mashed bananas until fully blended into the wet mixture.
06 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing gently just until incorporated.
07 - Fold in chocolate chips or nuts if desired, ensuring even distribution.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and level the surface with a spatula.
09 - Bake for 55 to 65 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's forgiving enough for your first attempt but special enough to make for friends without apology.
  • Those overripe bananas you were about to toss turn into a loaf that tastes like it came from a proper bakery.
  • The texture stays tender for days, which means you can slice it straight from the cooling rack or wrap it up for later.
02 -
  • Overripe bananas with dark spots are sweeter and more flavorful; pale yellow ones will make your bread taste bland and you'll regret it.
  • Overmixing the batter is the quickest way to end up with something dense and tough instead of the tender crumb you're after.
  • A toothpick inserted into the very center of a banana bread might have a tiny bit of moisture clinging to it and still be done—residual heat keeps cooking it as it cools.
03 -
  • If your butter is too cold, your batter will look grainy and the bread will have a denser crumb—let it soften to that perfect softness where it yields to gentle pressure.
  • The sound of a knife sliding cleanly through a cooled loaf is deeply satisfying, and it only happens if you wait long enough for it to cool completely before slicing.
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