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Yes, friends – I totally just uttered the words the best in regards to a banana bread recipe. To some folks, those may be fightin’ words because it seems like everyone has their own opinion of banana bread perfection. Some like it with a little booze – raises my hand – others like it with loads of nuts. Personally, I’m not too fond of nuts in my banana bread, but to each their own, right?
I’ve been making versions of this banana bread recipe for years, but we’ve always consumed it well before I had the opportunity to photograph it. However, the last time I whipped it together, I honestly thought to myself – I nailed it – and I may have given myself a high five.
In my mind, the best banana bread is sweet, but not too sweet. It’s moist, dense, lightly spiced, and packed with banana flavor. Oh and let’s not forget a deliciously crunchy, crumb topping that’s worthy of being noshed by the spoonful. Yep – this is indeed the best banana bread.
If you make this banana bread or any other recipe from MBA, be sure to snap a pic and tag me (@jamiemba) on Instagram or upload them to our Facebook page – I LOVE seeing your creations!
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The Best Banana Bread
Ingredients:
For the Batter:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Penzy's Cake Spice (see note below)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 5 medium)
For the Topping:
- 1/4 all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Penzy's Cake Spice
- pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
Directions:
For the Bread:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan - I used coconut oil spray from Trader Joe's.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cake spice.
- In another large bowl, using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.
- Stir in eggs, vanilla and mashed bananas until well blended.
- Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently stir banana mixture into flour mixture - stirring until ingredients are just combined.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
For the Topping:
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cake spice and salt.
- With your hands, work in butter pieces, until small clumps form.
- Spread topping evenly over batter.
To Bake:
- Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then carefully turn out onto a wire rack.
Notes:
- If you do not have Cake Spice, simply sub in cinnamon.
- Banana bread is better served after it has had time to sit overnight at room temperature.
- Banana bread will keep wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 days.
- This banana bread is amazing toasted with a pat of butter.
Follow Jamie on Instagram. We love to see what you're baking from MBA! Be sure to tag @jamiemba and use the hashtag #mbarecipes!
This really is the best banana bread ever; the small addition of cinnamon made a subtle but significant difference, and really complimented the banana flavor very well. The bread was very moist, the top had a crisp crunch, even when baked without the topping, and the bread overall was dense without being heavy. I will definitely be making this again!
P.S. – I was surprised at first by the higher than usual amount of vanilla that this recipe called for, but the bread turned out so well that I decided to leave it as is; I am wondering if the higher amount of alcohol that this amount of vanilla provides was a factor in this result?
What a Awesome website!!! . Your pictures of your fresh baked bread look so real and tasty. I can smell the aroma from here. “Delicious”
How important is the vanilla…? I don’t have any and am a “stuck-at-home-mom” (we only have one car and the husband needs it for work). I have all the other ingredients!
Chelsey-
In a pinch, I think you could get away with omitting the vanilla. Happy baking!
-Jamie
I made this yesterday (with plain cinnamon) and you’re right, it’s the best! I can’t stop eating it and I don’t even LIKE banana bread. I’m wishing I hadn’t given away half of the loaf to my sister…
I followed the recipe exactly…only thing I did was throw aluminum foil over the top of my pan and baked @ 325 for an hour or a little after..took the foil off and let the top get a little crisper! LOVE THIS!!!!!!!! Moist awesome banana bread..
This is by far my favorite banana bread recipe ever. I did just have a penzy’s open up in town so will have to go get the cake spice to see what the difference is, next time around. Thank you for putting up this recipe. It was always a pain in the rear to find a banana bread recipe when i wanted to make some. Thank you again!!!!
Thanks for the recipe! It is the best! I made it this morning and it is almost gone.
Robin-
You are very welcome! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Have a wonderful day!
-Jamie
There’s an error in the topping. How much flour am I supposed to use? it only says “1/4 all-purpose flour” i don’t know if I should put in a 1/4 cup or a 1/4t or a 1/4T.
Thanks
Dee-
Thanks so much for catching that – it’s 1/4 cup. I have updated the recipe to reflect the changes – thanks, again!
-Jamie
Hi Jamie,
Thanks for your comment on Italian Meringue Buttercream frosting. I guess, if I want pure white, I will have to abandon my “all natural “policy… trade-offs we have to make, I can’t wait to try this banana bread recipe as I lost my copy of my “Best banana bread recipe… qwo moves and my bakery closure, it got lost in the shuffle. this one may very well now become my best banana bread recipe!!! and just in time, too, with three bananas in the freezer and three more becoming fruit fly condos!!! Thanks on both counts.
Sandra
I just made this and it really is delicious.What is the calorie count?
Hi DJ,
I have no idea what the calorie count would be. You’d have to plug the recipe into a nutrition calculator to find out. That’s not something I do with my recipes, sorry.
– Jamie
better not to know! It’s way too tasty to care :D