JB’s Banana Bread – RecipeTin Eats

March 5, 2026

5

The wait is lastly over! After weeks of testing, tweaking and loads of tasting, my banana bread recipe is lastly able to share. Crispy golden high, caramelised sides, and a smooth crumb with massive banana flavours that slices like a dream. Let’s go!

JB’s Banana Bread has landed! I’ve revealed over 2,000 recipes and that is the one and solely I haven’t tasted – as a result of bananas and I are usually not buddies. 🙈 However I do know that is the banana bread to finish all banana breads – as a result of it’s JB’s. The suggestions has been off the charts, together with an enormous tick from the hardest critic on our workforce, my brother Goh. If you happen to love banana bread, that is the one that every one others aspire to be. Take pleasure in!

JB’s Banana Bread

“Now we will submit banana bread!” These had been Nagi’s phrases once we agreed that I used to be going to begin publishing recipes beneath my title. So, my buddies, now could be the time! These spotty, forgotten bananas in your bench are about to be put to good use.

I need to admit, earlier than beginning engaged on this recipe, I didn’t have a go-to banana bread recipe. However I’ve eaten loads of them, so I knew precisely what I used to be after. I had a transparent concept of the flavour, the feel and the substances I wished, after that, it was only a matter of testing, tweaking and baking once more (and once more!) till it was good. The RecipeTin Eats means.

My first checks turned out properly, and I used to be proud of the outcomes. However then we determined that it must be a taller loaf. That’s once I bumped into few difficulties ending the recipe. The centre of the loaf was taking longer to cook dinner, which meant the edges had been beginning to dry out. And the extra you check, the extra questions you create. Can we make it higher? What occurs if we alter this? Abruptly the listing of iterations grows. Totally different sugars, totally different spices, extra eggs, much less flour, no butter, extra oil, baking powder as a substitute of baking soda, shorter bake, longer bake, lined, uncovered. As we at all times say, the final 5% is at all times the toughest. That’s the half that makes it excellent. However 30 one thing banana breads later, right here we’re with an awesome recipe I’m able to share. 😊

Components

Let’s discuss in regards to the bananas! They don’t need to be very overripe. Spotty or largely brown bananas work the most effective as a result of they’re sweeter, however I’ve additionally examined this recipe with just-ripe ones, yellow, with no brown in any respect, and the end result was simply nearly as good.

1. Bananas

Bananas – The principle character right here. Use the common bananas you see at your retailer each day. As I stated above, I’ve examined this recipe with bananas at each stage, just-ripe and yellow, frivolously noticed, closely dotted and absolutely overripe, even blacker than the one proven above. All of them labored properly. The riper the banana, the sweeter and stronger the flavour, however even agency yellow bananas provides you with a smooth loaf with nice banana style.

2. Dry substances

Flour – Plain flour / all-purpose flour – Offers the bread its construction.
Baking soda – Also called bi-carbonate of soda, it makes the loaf rise and retains it gentle. Baking powder doesn’t work as properly. The banana bread wouldn’t rise as a lot and its texture could be totally different.
Cinnamon and allspice powder – My favorite spice combine for this recipe. Cinnamon brings heat sweetness, whereas allspice provides a mild depth and a touch of clove and nutmeg flavour.
Salt – cooking salt / kosher salt. It brings out the flavours of the opposite substances.

3. Moist Components

Brown sugar – I exploit solely brown sugar for its gentle caramel flavour and further moisture. It provides the bread a deeper style and helps maintain the crumb smooth and tender. I did additionally check with a mixture of white and brown sugar however discovered the feel and color of the banana bread wasn’t nearly as good.
Eggs – 2 complete + 1 yolk, the entire eggs act as a binder and the yolk brings just a little richness which was wanted to provide the crumb additional moisture with out making it heavy. Use room temperature ones, giant measurement (55g/2 ounces every).
Butter – Provides the wealthy, buttery flavour all of us love.
Oil – Retains the bread smooth longer. It will be drier if we solely use butter. Any impartial flavour oil can be utilized.
Bitter cream – As with the oil, the fats in bitter cream helps create a smooth crumb and stop the bread from drying out. Extra importantly, its gentle acidity is the important thing ingredient wanted for the baking soda to react and create the attractive banana bread rise. Yoghurt is a good substitute. Keep away from milk or buttermilk, they’re thinner and might change the batter consistency, resulting in a looser construction.
Vanilla – rounds out and enhances the flavour.

How To Make Banana Bread

The strategy right here is straightforward and simple, no particular tools wanted. Simply combine the dry and moist substances individually and mix them collectively gently. The hot button is to not overmix the batter, so the loaf stays smooth and tender. As soon as it’s within the oven, all that’s left to do is let the scent of banana bread fill your kitchen and revel in. Until your title is Nagi The Banana Hater.

1. Lining the pan

Scrunch a 40 cm / 16″ lengthy sheet of baking / parchment paper, it turns into softer and makes it simpler to press and keep within the pan.
Match the paper right into a loaf pan (21.5 x 11.5 x 7 cm / 4.5 x 8.5 x 2.75″). There’s no must grease the pan to make the paper stick, simply match it in, the batter will weight it down. Depart overhang on the edges for straightforward lifting.

2. Making the batter and bake

Dry – Whisk the dry substances in a bowl (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice).
Mash bananas – In a big mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher till largely easy.

Moist – Then add all of the moist substances (brown sugar, eggs, melted butter, oil, bitter cream, vanilla) and whisk till mixed. Pour the dry substances into the moist substances.
Mix – Use a rubber spatula to combine till the flour is simply included. Having a couple of little flour lumps is okay, it’s higher than overmixing which is able to make your banana bread firmer fairly than smooth.

Fill pan – Pour the batter into the ready pan and easy the floor.
Bake – Put the banana bread into the oven preheated to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced). Then bake for 70 minutes, till a skewer inserted within the centre comes out clear (turning the pan round midway by cooking). Whereas cooking, a crack will naturally seem alongside the highest of your banana bread. The centre continues to broaden, it pushes by the agency crust, creating that basic cut up. It’s completely regular.

Cool for 10 minutes within the pan. The loaf must be properly risen with a well-browned high and a crack alongside the centre.
Elevate out and place on a wire rack. Let it cool for at the least an hour earlier than slicing. If you happen to plan storing it for later, you have to to let the banana bread cool utterly, this could take as much as 6 hours. If you happen to don’t, the residual warmth will make the crust soggy and create extra moisture that can have an effect on texture and shorten the shelf life. That stated, should you urgently want a slice whereas it’s nonetheless heat, I utterly perceive! Simply anticipate it to be just a little softer and extra delicate. 😊

How To Serve Banana Bread

This banana bread is scrumptious barely warmed or at room temperature. However the commonest means and nonetheless one of the simplest ways is frivolously toasted with just a little butter on high. It really works completely for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a fast snack throughout the day. If you wish to flip it right into a dessert, serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of Chantilly cream and a few chocolate sauce.

This recipe took numerous testing, however I’m proud of the end result, a smooth, tender loaf with nice banana flavour that works each time. Easy substances, easy methodology, and a banana bread you possibly can depend on.

I hope you get pleasure from baking and consuming this one as a lot as I did. If you happen to make it, please let me know the way it seems. Comfortable baking and bon appétit! – JB

FAQ – Banana Bread

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JB’s Banana Bread – RecipeTin Eats

Nagi’s Notes

JB’s Banana Bread