Banana Bread

This single loaf of banana bread is packed with FIVE bananas(!), brown sugar, butter, chopped walnuts, and a sprinkle of sugar on top. It bakes up high, dense, and supremely plush. Ultimate indeed!

We stared at this recipe for years -YEARS – before making it. We saved it from a Cook’s Illustrated magazine, but it took until we had an entire bunch of bananas that had gone black on us to finally dive in and give it a try.

Why had we dismissed it all those years? Quite simply, we always felt like banana bread should be, well, simple. A speedy remedy to overripe bananas on the counter that could be in the oven before the first commercial break of your grandma’s favorite soap opera. Spoiler alert: this is not your grandma’s banana bread. The preparation methods seemed over the top to us, so we ignored it for years. Finally, we had some free time on our hands, along with the black bananas, so we decided to give it a try.

Yes, there were more preparation steps and additional preparation time, but this is most definitely a standby banana bread we've ever made.

The banana flavor is dramatically intensified and the loaf baked up nice and high (all of the banana bread recipes We've made over the years have been short and squat). Not that we ever complained; it was all we'd ever known, but we do love a high loaf of bread, be it yeasted or speedy. Tall is where it’s at!

Now, let’s talk about the texture. We love, love, loved it. The bread is supremely dense and plush; while previous attempts at banana bread have all been plush, the dense texture was new to us. It doesn’t feel like it’s going to crumble apart when you handle it; the slices are heavy and substantial.

We also love the sprinkling of granulated sugar on top of the loaf before putting it in the oven – it gives the finished bread a little bit of a sweet crunch on top.

How to Make the Ultimate Banana Bread

Okay here we go, the banana bread that’s a little high maintenance in preparation, but pays off in dividends with the final product… this is how we do it!

• Microwave the bananas, then strain over a bowl to capture all of the juices that have been released.
• Reduce the banana juice in a saucepan to get concentrated banana flavor without needing to add a ton of extra liquid.
• Mash together the bananas and reduced liquid – ultimate banana flavor!

The rest of the recipe is pretty run-of-the-mill with whisking melted butter (no oil!), eggs, brown sugar (moister and more flavorful than white!), and vanilla into the mashed bananas, then stirring together with the flour mixture.

All that’s left is to sprinkle the top with sugar and bake away.

Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe Notes

• It’s important that the bananas are not just speckled, but are full-on browning or even black so they can release those rich juices.
• You can use thawed frozen bananas; if you do so, you do not need to microwave them, simply go to placing them over a fine-mesh strainer (they will release a lot of liquid naturally).
• If you use a 9×5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes sooner than the recipe states.
• You can substitute other chopped nuts for the walnuts; use what you love (or omit them completely)!
• This banana bread can be frozen by wrapping in plastic wrap, then foil, and placing it in a freezer bag; freeze for up to 3 months.

If you’re itching to try a new banana bread recipe and you’re not opposed to a few extra steps, give this one a try – we guarantee you’ll love the end result!

Watch the Recipe Video:

Four years ago: DIY: From-scratch Flour Tortillas
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Six years ago: Snickers Rice Krispie Treats
Nine years ago: Dog Birthday Cake

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in August 2014.

[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]

• Yield: 16 (1/2-inch) slices
• Prep: 40 minutes
• Cook: 55 minutes
• Total: 2 hours

Ingredients

• 1¾ cups ( 249 g ) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon ( 0.5 teaspoon ) salt
• 5 large ripe bananas, about 1¾ to 2 pounds, peeled
• ½ cup ( 113 g ) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 eggs
• ¾ cup ( 149 g ) light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup ( 57 g ) walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degres F. Spray an 8½ by 4½-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
3. Place the bananas in a microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap and cut several steam vents in plastic with a paring knife. Microwave on high power until the bananas are soft and have released liquid, about 5 minutes. Transfer the bananas to a fine-mesh strainer placed over a medium bowl and allow to drain, stirring occasionally, or 15 minutes (there should be ½ to ¾ cup liquid).
4. Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to ¼ cup, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, stir the reduced liquid into the bananas, and mash with a potato masher until fairly smooth. Whisk in the butter, eggs, brown sugar and vanilla extract.
5. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until just combined, with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in the walnuts, if using. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle the granulated sugar evenly over the top of the loaf.
6. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, 55 to 75 minutes. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and continue to cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. The bread can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen (the wrapped loaf should then be placed in an resealable freezer bag or double-wrapped with foil) for up to 2 months.

Notes

It’s important that the bananas are not just speckled, but are full-on browning or even black so they can release those rich juices.

You can use thawed frozen bananas; if you do so, you do not need to microwave them, simply go to placing them over a fine-mesh strainer (they will release a lot of liquid naturally).

If you use a 9×5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes sooner than the recipe states.

You can substitute other chopped nuts for the walnuts; use what you love (or omit them completely)!

This banana bread can be frozen by wrapping in plastic wrap, then foil, and placing it in a freezer bag; freeze for up to 3 months.

Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in August 2014.

[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned ]