Whole-Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

TxnLady

Give us the weight of the bananas recommended for this recipe so that the results are more consistent. You can always eat or freeze any extra, but you might ruin a whole loaf of banana bread by putting in too little.

DH

This was easy to make and very good. I used two not large bananas. I would have liked a bit more banana flavor. So maybe 3 like I had, or two large ones.

Jen

It was tasty albeit a tad dry....probably because I used two small bananas. The recipe doesn't specify size. But I would use 3 -4 small ones or 2 large ones.

BWS70

Chris L

Certainly seems a novel idea to include the banana peels in the recipe… Until I think about it. Since the peel is essentially universally expected to be discarded, I doubt very much the possibility of herbicide or pesticide residue in peels has been examined. That's not an experiment I want to do. If you want to do this recipe, be sure to get certified organic bananas

ppasqual

This was just OK. Cocoa was enough to mask taste of bananas but not enough to taste chocolate-y - so overall taste was bland. Addition of banana skins did not add anything good to the loaf - and good to heed advice of others re: pesticides. I must have used refined coconut oil as there was little coconut taste - won't repeat because of the cost of coconut oil. This loaf promises great blend of flavours but doesn't deliver.

JE

After reading all the comments, I set out to make this cake better. And, I think I did. First, forget the banana peels. Throw them out. Or, compost them. My sister is gluten free, so I used equal parts coconut flour and almond flour. I increased the cocoa to 3/4 cup, I added 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut. I increased the amounting coconut oil to 3/4 cup. The cake was moist , rich, and delicious!

katie cooks

Left out the peels (cause I’m not that creative) added an extra banana, chocolate chips, and pecans. Turned out great!

mkbec

Used half the sugar, 3 big bananas, added an egg. Also added some espresso powder. A different banana bread recipe said heat the oil, brown sugar and bananas on low heat for 5 minutes, allow to cool for 10 minutes, then buzz all the liquids together in a food processor before adding to the dry ingredients so I did that. Added walnuts and some mini chocolate chips. Hedged on the banana peel—used some at one end, used golden raisins at the other. Great result, dense and satisfying.

Cathy

It turns into slightly chewy bits. I cut mine up pretty small. I liked the texture. Sort of a raisin but slimmer. It's interesting and makes sense to use more of the fruit.

mkbec

Used half the sugar, added an egg, added some espresso powder. Following another banana bread recipe, I heated three large bananas with the oil and sugar for five minutes to soften the bananas, then after cooling for 10 minutes, buzzed the liquid ingredients in a food processor before adding to the dry ingredients. Added walnuts. Hedged on the banana peel, used peel on one end and golden raisins on the other with mini chocolate chips in the middle. Great result, dense and satisfying.

Rachel

Next time, leave out banana skins.

Issy

Add 3rd banana, roasted walnuts, chocolate chunks, omit peel

StephanieM

I liked this. Mine came out smooth and moist. I used 2 large frozen bananas. Next time I will puls the peels to make them smaller.

VMay

Following someone else’s suggestion, I added an egg and a cup of chocolate chips. Set the oven to 375 F and got out the paper muffin liners. Filled the liners to almost full. Baked for 28 minutes. Got 15 yummy, moist muffins. Would make again.

Priya

My favourite way to use up bananas. Beware: the texture of the tahini matters. Some are very thick and dry, but if its quite liquid (like oil), then halve the amount of coconut or other oil (i actually use an olive/sunflower mix).I add choc chips and use 3 bananas instead of 2 (another reason to use slightly less oil and 1/3 less sugar)The banana skin really adds a layer of flavour so i blend the whole bananas first to hide them.

Pded15

180 degreesTahini and cocoa can be lumpy and slow things downHandful of choc chips instead of peel3 med bananas30ml less sugar Should add blended peel next time and even less sugar. Say 1 cup.only

Georgina

Anyone substitute almond flour? Should I do 1:1?

Bklyn baker

Didn't use Tahiti, subbed applesauce, and was different. The coconut overpowered the chocolate and the 3 Bahasa I used. Didn't use the peel. Was nice and moist. One of the better vegan bread recipes probably because of the coconut oil.

Pded15

Amazing! We stuck to the recipe, using cup measurements rather than weight. Subbed olive oil for the coconut and the result is so moreish and delicious. Will leave out peel next time as the kids weren't keen on the leathery texture. Will make again. Maybe with chocolate chips

Todd H.

Double the cinnamon, used peanut butter instead of tahini, both creamy and crunchy, added whole milk and butter milk, and took out half the brown sugar.

Ana

Question- if my bananas have already turned a bit brown, would I still want to use their peels?

Rachel

Per the usual NYTIMES Cooking notes, here are my changes: added an egg and a banana, reduced the sugar by half and substituted half of the flour for whole wheat flour. The result is great!

JE

After reading all the comments, I set out to make this cake better. And, I think I did. First, forget the banana peels. Throw them out. Or, compost them. My sister is gluten free, so I used equal parts coconut flour and almond flour. I increased the cocoa to 3/4 cup, I added 1/2 cup of sweetened shredded coconut. I increased the amounting coconut oil to 3/4 cup. The cake was moist , rich, and delicious!

Lauren

This is quite good. The pieces of banana peel give it an interesting texture as well. To go really over the top, one could add mini chocolate chips and/or chopped walnuts or pecans. I'll make it again.

Wilson

Easy to make, lots of flavor, especially since I used peanut butter instead of tahini, plus added a little shredded coconut and dried cherries. I found the inclusion of the banana skins unpleasant and distracting due to their chewy leathery texture. I'll try making it without the skins next time.

emily y

Peculiar flavor, dense texture, absolutely nothing like traditional banana bread (how could it be?), but still tasty and worth the try. I added a third banana (but not its peel) because batter was so thick -- glad I did. My bananas were not quite ripe enough. I didn't mind the peel but would cut smaller next time. The almond extract flavor was very strong -- dried cherries and chocolate chips would be great add-ins. May try again if I need a special loaf for vegan or restricted diets.

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Whole-Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you put too much banana in banana bread? ›

Banana bread recipes typically ask you to use overripe bananas so that they're easier to mush. This means it's tempting to toss all your bananas into the mix when you're ready to bake, to avoid food waste. But if you add too much of the fruit into your batter, your bread could turn out mushy, heavy, and wet.

Why use mushy bananas for banana bread? ›

Ripe bananas are not only softer and easier to mash and blend into a batter, but they are also sweeter, which is why baking recipes specifically call for ripe bananas in ingredient lists. As the bananas ripen, the fruit converts starches to sugars, making them sweeter and more flavorful.

Why is my banana bread so heavy? ›

Using too much butter makes for a heavier cake with less banana flavor. Using double the amount of butter that the recipe called for left me with a loaf that was dry on the outside and moist on the inside. The coloring was almost identical to that of the loaf made with too little butter.

Why is my banana bread never fully cooked? ›

You may be baking at too high a temperature. Home ovens are often not accurate. Try lowering the temperature by 25°F, and bake for a slightly longer time. If you are using a dark colored pan like many non-stick pans it will cause the outside to brown more quickly while the inside stays raw.

How many bananas is 2 cups? ›

2 bananas: 1-1/3 cups chopped | 1 cup mashed. 3 bananas: 2 cups chopped | 1-1/2 cups mashed. 4 bananas: 2-2/3 cups chopped | 2 cups mashed.

Is it bad to use overripe bananas for banana bread? ›

Brown, overripe bananas are sweeter because in the ripening process the starches in the banana are converted to sugar. You can even use super-soft, black bananas that have a really strong smell and are oozy inside. As long as they're not moldy, there's no such thing as too-ripe bananas for banana bread.

When not to use bananas for bread? ›

Mold on bananas is fuzzy white, gray, or greenish—it looks a lot like mold on bread. If a banana smells rotten or fermented or is leaking fluid, it's time to say goodbye. If the fruit inside, not just the peel, is black, that's a sign that your banana is too far gone to safely eat.

Why does my banana bread not taste like banana? ›

The main mistake most people make is using bananas that are not ripe enough. They need to be brown. They need to fall apart when you peel them. Way past the point where you would want to eat them.

How black is too black for banana bread? ›

In my experience, using bananas with a dark brown or even black peel for banana bread is ideal, as long as the inside isn't rotten. Key takeaway: As long as your bananas aren't starting to get moldy, infested with fruit flies or beginning to rot they aren't too ripe for baking banana bread.

Why does my banana bread taste weird? ›

Bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) is the raising agent and this can sometimes taste bitter or soapy if the wrong quantity is used.

Can I let banana bread cool overnight? ›

Banana bread retains heat, especially in the center of the loaf. If the loaf is still warm once it's wrapped for storage, condensation can form, which can lead to mold. Ensuring the whole loaf has fully cooled, one to two hours, will aid in better storage for longer-lasting banana bread.

Is there a difference between baking soda and baking powder? ›

Baking soda and baking powder are not the same. Sodium bicarbonate and bicarbonate of soda are other names for baking soda. Baking powder is made of baking soda plus cream of tartar and cornstarch. Baking powder can be substituted for baking soda by tripling the amount of baking powder.

Should I grease pan for banana bread? ›

For a picture-worthy loaf of banana bread, don't go overboard with greasing your loaf pan. Grease the bottom of the pan just ½ inch up the sides for a uniform loaf with a slightly rounded top. If you grease all the way up the sides of the pan, the loaf can sink, resulting in a flat top.

What if banana bread is not cooked after an hour? ›

Your oven may not have been set to the correct temperature. You may not have used the correct pan size. You may not have followed the recipe correctly. For example, you may have added too much liquid, or you may not have added enough of some dry ingredient, and therefore your dough may have had too much moisture.

What to do if banana bread is too mushy? ›

Alternatively, consider giving the bread an extra 10 or so minutes in the oven, which should be enough time for excess moisture to evaporate as steam.

How mushy should bananas be for banana bread? ›

A banana that is brown and mushy isn't necessarily rotten, it is just very ripe and perfect for a moist delicious banana bread! Baking: Are very overripe bananas that have brown, very soft, alcohol-like smell inside safe to use for banana bread? ABSOLUTELY !!! BANANAS ARE RIPEST WHEN BROWN.

How many bananas is too many at a time? ›

While there's no blanket rule, sticking to one to two bananas per day shouldn't cause issues for most people. With that said, remember that they are relatively high in carbohydrates, so eating them along with protein or fat is also advisable to support stable energy levels.

Why did my banana bread deflate after baking? ›

The banana bread will not rise much during baking and may sink slightly in the centre on cooling, but should not collapse competely. If it did collapse then it is likely that the banana bread had not quite baked fully (and in light of the ingredient change may have needed a slightly longer baking time).

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