Possibly the Best Banana Bread Recipe Ever

It took me about a decade to find the best banana bread recipe, and this is it. Four overripe bananas, a full teaspoon of salt, and a crunchy sugar-and-walnut lid that cracks when you cut into it.

One of the missions behind Drizzle and Dip, aside from sharing delicious food on the internet, was to hunt down the best-ever version of every baked good I love. I put a stake in the ground, then move on.

Banana bread held out on me for a long time. The version in my first cookbook came close, but it wasn’t quite there. Then I found a recipe by Ashlae from Oh Lady Cakes (I can’t link to the specific recipe as her website sits behind a paywall now), and two things jumped out. The bananas need to be properly overripe, not just spotty. And there’s a lot of salt in the mix. I had to try it.

What I changed about the original recipe

The best banana bread recipe should contain at least four large bananas, so I increased ther ratio. I can almost never get enough banana flavour into a loaf no matter how hard I try.

I also wanted to play with coconut sugar, which I’d recently fallen for and had never used in baking. Ashlae insists the bananas need to be well into their overripe stage to carry the sweetness. Mine weren’t quite there, and I could taste it.

What sugar to use in banana bread

Using coconut sugar left my banana bread needing more sweetness, so I have adjusted the recipe accordingly.

Coconut sugar has a caramel, palm sugar sort of flavour. If you can’t find it, use muscovado or demerara. Both bring that same dark, slightly toffee note.

Why there’s so much salt in this banana bread

A whole teaspoon of table salt in a sweet loaf sounds wrong. Trust it. Bananas this ripe are intensely sweet, and the salt pulls it all back into balance. It’s the single change that moved this recipe from good to the best.

One reader tweaked it with pecans, cinnamon, and mixed spice and told me the saltiness was her favourite part, so I’m not alone.

Don’t overwork the batter

This recipe is made by hand, and the flour stage is where people go wrong. Beat the wet mixture as hard as you like. Once the flour goes in, fold gently and stop as soon as it’s incorporated. Overwork it, and you develop the gluten, which gives you a chewy loaf instead of a tender one.

The salted walnut topping

I think walnuts are non-negotiable in banana bread. What I loved about this version is that they go on top rather than through the batter, scattered with extra sugar and sea salt flakes. They toast as the loaf bakes and set into a crunchy, sweet-salty crust.

The texture underneath is soft and moist, and it stays that way for days in an airtight container. This is my best-ever banana bread, and it’s my go-to until I find a better one (see my recipe with pecans and sultanas where I use this topping).

How to make banana bread muffins

Same batter, smaller tins, and they’re done in a third of the time. I get exactly 12 muffins out of one batch.

Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases or grease it well. Divide the batter between the holes, filling each about three-quarters full. Scatter the sugar, chopped walnuts and sea salt flakes over the tops. Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until risen, golden, and a skewer comes out clean. Let them sit in the tin for 5 minutes before lifting them onto a wire rack.

They bake more evenly than the loaf, and you don’t need to cover them with foil halfway. If you’re feeding a crowd or want something for lunchboxes, make the muffins.

Frequently asked questions for banana bread

Can I use normal sugar instead of coconut sugar?

Yes. Use the same weight of dark brown sugar, muscovado or demerara. The loaf will be slightly sweeter, which is what I wanted. White sugar will also work.

Is the oven temperature for a fan oven?

No, 180°C / 350°F is a conventional setting. If you’re baking with the fan on, drop it to 160°C / 320°F and start checking 10 minutes early.

How ripe do the bananas need to be?

Blackened and soft. If the skin is still yellow with a few brown spots, they aren’t ready. Under-ripe bananas are the main reason a banana bread turns out bland.

Can I use self-raising flour?

Yes. If you do, leave out the baking powder and the bicarbonate of soda.

Can I swap the walnuts for pecans?

Pecans work well, and several readers prefer them. I like walnuts here for the slight bitterness against all that sweetness, but it’s your loaf.

Why is my banana bread chewy rather than soft?

The batter was overmixed after the flour went in. Fold it gently and stop as soon as you no longer see dry flour.

How do I know when it’s baked?

Insert a sharp knife or skewer into the thickest part. It should come out clean. If the top is browning too fast, lay a piece of foil loosely over it from halfway through.

How to store ripe bananas

If you have bananas past the point of eating, put them in the freezer in their skins and thaw them when you want to bake. I keep at least four stashed away for exactly this. They turn black and look fairly grim, but they’re fine, and they’re sweeter for it.

Recipe – makes one medium-sized loaf – adapted from Oh Lady Cakes

The Best Overripe Banana Bread Recipe With Salted Walnut Crunch

A very moist banana bread made with four overripe bananas, coconut sugar and a full teaspoon of salt, finished with a crunchy walnut and sea salt topping. Makes one medium loaf or 12 muffins.

Print Recipe

Prep Time:15 minutes mins

Cook Time:55 minutes mins

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 4 very ripe or overripe bananas 380 grams / 13.5 oz
• 4 large free-range eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk any kind
• ½ cup 125 ml / 4 fl oz sunflower oil, or other neutral oil
• ¾ cup 160 grams / 5.5 oz coconut sugar, or brown sugar, muscovado or demerara
• 2 cups 290 grams / 10 oz cake flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt yes, a whole teaspoon of table salt

For the topping

• 2 to 3 Tbsp coconut sugar or 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
• a handful of walnuts roughly chopped (a little more than ¼ cup / 30 grams / 1 oz)
• a sprinkle of sea salt flakes such as Maldon

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line a medium loaf tin with baking paper.
• In a large bowl, whisk the bananas until soft, which happens quickly. Add the eggs, milk, oil and sugar, and whisk until well combined.
• Sift the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the wet mixture and fold gently until just incorporated. Don’t overwork it.
• Pour into the lined tin and scatter over the sugar, chopped walnuts and sea salt flakes. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until golden and baked through. A sharp knife inserted into the thickest part should come out clean. If it’s browning too fast, cover loosely with foil from halfway.
• Cool in the tin for a while, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Notes

To make 12 muffins: line or grease a 12-hole muffin tin, divide the batter between the holes about three-quarters full, scatter over the topping, and bake at 180°C / 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes before moving to a rack.

Flour: you can use self-raising flour. Leave out the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda if you do.

Storage: keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, in a cool, dry spot away from sunlight. A piece of kitchen paper in the container absorbs excess moisture.

Freezing: wrap the loaf or slices tightly in cling film, then foil or a freezer bag, and freeze for up to 3 months.

Reheating: thaw at room temperature for a few hours, or warm a slice in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds. A slice also toasts well in a dry pan with a little butter.

Servings: 1 loaf

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• The Best Banana Bread With Pecans and Raisins
• Cranberry Walnut Banana Bread
• Bananas Foster Bread With Bananas Foster Butter
• My Best-Ever Baking Recipes
• My 10 Best Cake Recipes

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