Moist Banana Bread

Turn those overripe bananas into something beautiful and comforting with this easy, reliable banana bread recipe that is soft, moist, and slices perfectly. Topped with bananas that caramelize as they bake, this quick bread smells amazing.

This is definitely a cozy recipe worth knowing by heart.

Everyone knows all the hope tucked into a fresh bunch of bananas. You buy them with the best of intentions-thinking this week will be different, that everyone will reach for one on their way out the door.

But then the days slip by, the dark spots start to spread, and suddenly those forgotten bananas sit there, soft and sweet, waiting for their second chance.

And that's when banana bread steps in-part rescue mission, part ritual of motherhood.

This particular banana bread recipe has become second nature. At this point, I pretty much know it by heart.

I love that the batter comes together easily and bakes into a loaf that's soft, moist, and stays tender for days, making it just as lovely on day three as it is warm from the oven. But at the same time, it holds its shape and slices cleanly, because nobody wants an unsightly crumbly slice of banana bread on their plate, am I right?

I hope this banana bread recipe earns a permanent place in your kitchen routine: reliable, unfussy, and always very comforting.

Checkout my Chocolate Banana Muffins for more ideas to use those ripe bananas!

Jump to:

• Ingredients For Moist Banana Bread
• Equipment Needed To Make Banana Bread
• Make Ahead Instructions
• Storage
• Substitutions
• Variations
• FAQ
• Make This Banana Bread Recipe In Bulk For Gifting or For Sale
• Moist Banana Bread
• Related Recipes
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Ingredients For Moist Banana Bread

Each ingredient in this banana bread plays its part in creating that perfect, tender loaf you'll want to make again and again. There are a couple of key ingredients that help keep it moist, but airy: Greek yogurt and a touch of oats.

And while I tend to agree banana bread is better with nuts, my son is allergic to most, so I typically bake without them, but I love the crunch a bunch of walnuts lend to a moist banana bread, if you choose to add them.

• Unsalted butter
• Dark brown sugar
• Eggs
• Vanilla paste or extract
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Ripe bananas
• All-purpose flour
• Rolled oats (blended into a powder)
• Ground cinnamon
• Ground nutmeg
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Sea salt
• Chopped walnuts (optional)

See recipe card for quantities.

Equipment Needed To Make Banana Bread

You really don't need much to make a perfect loaf - just a few kitchen basics you probably already have. A large mixing bowl and spatula for stirring, a whisk for blending wet ingredients, and a sturdy loaf pan for baking. You'll also want parchment paper for easy removal and a cooling rack so your banana bread sets beautifully without getting soggy on the bottom.

Using a kitchen scale helps keep your measurements consistent, so that you get similar results to what you see in the pictures, but of course measuring cups and spoons work just fine too.

This dough comes together super easily by hand, but I love using my handheld cordless mixer to cream the butter and sugars evenly and to properly incorporate the eggs, vanilla and yogurt, creating an airy mixture.

Equipment you'll need:

• kitchen scale
• cordless mixer
• large bowl
• set of measuring cups and tablespoons
• sturdy spatula (I love the one in this set)
• loaf pan
• parchment paper
• cooling rack
• oven thermometer

Make Ahead Instructions

You can make this banana bread batter up to one day in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. When you're ready, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking so it rises evenly.

Storage

Once cooled, wrap the loaf in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It will stay soft and moist for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.

For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to a week - just know it will firm up slightly when cold, so bring it to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Substitutions

You can absolutely make swaps in this recipe, just keep in mind that different ingredients will bring slightly different results.

If you're using salted butter, reduce the sea salt from ½ teaspoon to about ¼ teaspoon. Vegan butter and flax or chia eggs also work, though texture and flavor will vary a bit.

You can use white or light brown sugar, but darker sugar gives more depth and moisture-avoid coarse sugar since it doesn't cream well with butter.

Plain Greek yogurt can be replaced with sour cream without issue.

If you're using frozen bananas, let them thaw completely, then strain and discard any excess liquid before measuring, so the loaf doesn't turn out dense or gummy.

You can experiment with different flours (including gluten-free blends), but results will change. I don't recommend bread flour as it makes the loaf too chewy.

And for the oats, be sure to use rolled, old-fashion, oats blended into a powder; quick oats or steel-cut oats don't behave the same way in the batter.

Variations

You can absolutely bake this batter as muffins-it works beautifully. Fill each cup about three-quarters full and bake for 18-22 minutes.

This banana bread base is wonderfully adaptable, so once you've made it a few times, you'll start dreaming up your own versions too. Here are a few I've made and loved using this same recipe as the starting point.

• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread - Fold in dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips.

• Nutty Banana Bread - Add chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for some lovely crunch. Toast them first for deeper flavor.

• Nut Butter Swirl - Add spoonfuls of peanut or almond butter into the batter and swirl for a marbled look and nutty yummyness.

• Banana Date Bread - Stir in chopped dates for extra sweetness and chew.

• Crumb-Topped Banana Bread - Sprinkle a brown sugar and oat streusel over the batter before baking for a bakery-style top.

FAQ

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