If you’re looking for a fast and delicious way to use up your overripe bananas, this is the recipe for you. This quick banana bread recipe uses a special technique that brings out all of the sweet juicy goodness from your bananas resulting in an extra moist loaf with incredible flavor!
This recipe was inspired by a recipe that appeared in an issue of Cook’s Illustrated called Ultimate Banana Bread. The article discusses how the riper the banana is, the more fructose produced. (Think sugar.)
Then the article talks about banana juice. Cook’s Illustrated instructs the reader to microwave bananas to extract the juice, strain it, and then reduce it.
I like to take shortcuts, so I just microwave my bananas and pour the juice first into the batter, then add the bananas themselves.
Let’s take a quick peek at how to make banana bread using banana “juice.”
Banana Bread Ingredients
For this quick bread recipe, you need the following ingredients:
- ripe bananas
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- unsalted butter
- brown sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
- demerara or granulated sugar
How To Make Banana Quick Bread
As with all recipes, gather all of the ingredients and supplies and read the recipe thoroughly.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray.
- Peel bananas and place in a microwave-safe shallow bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- Whip butter on high-speed in the large bowl of an electric mixer. Add brown sugar and mix until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla.
- Pour banana “juice” slowly into the batter in a mixer and blend. (Remember that there are eggs in the batter and the juice is still hot/warm. You have to temper the batter.)
- Add bananas and mix until incorporated.
- Add flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle top with sugar. Bake for 50 – 55 minutes or until done.
- Cool the bread on a wire rack.
More recipes that will start your day right:
- Brioche French Toast – Making French toast might be easier than you think. It’s so easy that I learned how to make it as a child by watching my dad make it on the weekends.
- Cracklin’ Oat Bran (Clone) – Yes, you really can make cereal. With this recipe, you can make bite-sized morsels or shape the batter into granola bars.
- Homemade Banana Nut Muffins – All the deliciousness of banana bread in a handy muffin.
Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- demerara or granulated sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray.
- Peel bananas and place in a microwave safe shallow bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Allow it to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- Whip butter on high-speed in large bowl of an electric mixer. Add brown sugar and mix until well combined. Add eggs and vanilla.
- Slowly pour banana “juice” into batter in mixer and blend. (Remember that there are eggs in the batter and the juice is still hot/warm. You have to temper the batter.)
- Add bananas and mix until incorporated.
- Add flour and mix until smooth.
- Pour into prepared pan and Sprinkle top with sugar. Bake for 50 – 55 minutes or until done.
- Remove to wire rack and allow to cool.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
When you make it, feel free to add nuts or chocolate chips to the batter before baking. Those would be tasty additions that compliment the bananas.
How do you like your banana bread?
For a different take on banana bread, check out this video from Cosmopolitan Cornbread:
Karen says
You can get the same “banana “ juice by keeping bananas in your freezer, skins on. Take out and thaw in a bowl so you keep all the juice! The bananas are so soft and sweet. Tried with this recipe, was wonderful and moist💕💕
Lynda says
Thanks for the tip!
Lynn Edwards says
I have a similar recipe …sam ingredients BUT 2 cups flour an 7-8 bananas…it is my favorite…it sounds like it would never ‘set up’…but it does… beautifully
J mcckay says
I will try using this recipe.
Lynda says
Please come back and tell me how it turned out!
Gregor says
This was wonderful. It looked like bananna bread, tasted like bananna bread. It was easy too! I did make a few changes: I used White Whole Wheat flour, smart balance instead of butter, 1/3 cup of Agave Nector instead of sugar. Highly recommend it! Thanks, Helen
Lynda says
Thanks, Helen. You have inspired me to rethink it – I wonder how substituting honey would work and just might try it.
Melissa says
This recipe is [**** – edited for language]. I made it the way it said to, and it came out bland, and tasting like old, overripened bananas. I don’t think microwaving the bananas is a good idea; it smelled gross, ruined the flavor, and barely made any juice. Don’t waste your time with this abomination. I wish I hadn’t.
Lynda says
I am sorry that the recipe did not work for you. My family and I loved it. There are other recipes posted on the internet that call for microwaving bananas before using them. (http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/sauce-spread/fruit-sauce/ripen-banana-in-the-microwave.html http://www.ehow.com/info_8682504_procedures-banana-ripening.html)
Jim Brazell says
Are you kidding me? My daughter and I have made it twice and grandmothers on both side of the family said: “How did you make it sooooo moist and banana’ey? What’s secret?”
Rich says
@Lynda, you can also bake the bananas for 15-20 minutes in oven at 350.
Lynda says
Thanks!
Dianna @ oyveyaday says
I definitely prefer nut-free!! Bread should not be crunchy. 😀
Dianna @ oyveyaday says
I’ve never seen a recipe that calls for “banana juice.” It is a very interesting technique, and one I will definitely be trying the next time we make banana bread.
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy.com says
I love banana bread but I like mine without nuts.
BerryRipe says
What a great blog! There are so many things you can do with ripe bananas!
J Michelle says
I just made this after finding it on Pinterest and I LOVE it! I’d never seen a recipe that called for microwaving the bananas before and it’s brilliant! This is my new favorite and go-to banana bread recipe!
Thank you!
Lynda says
Thank you very much! I thought it was a neat concept so I had to try it, too. I am thinking about trying to make some banana muffins with microwaved bananas. Doesn’t that sound good?
Jenn- The Rebel Chick says
I have three bananas sitting on my counter just asking to be made into bread. I think I’m going to make this tomorrow.
Rachael says
Yum! This looks delicious. We love banana bread in our house – I will have to give this recipe a try. I love how moist this looks.
Anne - Mommy Has to Work says
I’m looking forward to baking some banana bread for the fall.
Jennifer says
I’ve never heard about microwaving the bananas to get the juice. That’s interesting. And what do you mean “waiting for it to cool”? hot bread is the absolute best!
Donna says
One of my favorite treats is banana nut bread!
Kelly @ A Girl Worth Saving says
You had me at banana bread 🙂 My sister has been looking for a recipe so I’m going to have to share this with her.
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
Banana bread without nuts is always the way to go for me!!! Yours looks nom nom good!
Marcie W. says
Bananas on the verge of extinction are all too common at our house, so I am in desperate need of a good banana bread recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Theresa @ Faith and Family Reviews says
Everyone in our family likes banana bread some like it with nuts others do not but we all like it with chocolate chips! (not very healthy but VERY yummy :))
Lynda says
I can only imagine how much better it would be with chocolate chips.
Kira says
I can see why the banana use makes the difference. I like mine without nuts.
Penelope (NYC Blogger) says
Super yum, thanks for the additonal tips too
Katy says
I love banana bread and make it quite frequently but sometimes I have a problem with the consistency. I think my oven has issues also. (Or operator error ;). Your recipe looks great. I’ll have to give it a try.
Leilani says
I love banana bread with nuts, but I won’t turn it down just because it doesn’t have any. Banana bread is my fave!
Tricia @ Night owl mama says
looks delicious i think u did a great job. MMMMM can u share?
Lolo says
I have some bananas that I could use for this!
Emily says
I love banana bread- but had NO clue that bananas had banana juice!
Rachel @ Following In My Shoes says
I wish my kids would let bananas get old enough for this!
Lynda says
I think it’s great that they eat their bananas.
Kathleen says
There are few things I love more than banana bread fresh out of the oven. Yum!
Ty @ Mama of 3 Munchkins says
I could literally eat banana bread all day! I love it that much!
Lisa says
I love banana bread!
Colleen says
I love banana bread but I also love my Grandmother’s strawberry bread, they are both great with a touch of butter.
Lynda says
Butter makes everything better, right?
Robin Gagnon says
I love banana bread & now I want to make one 🙂
Vanessa: thequeenofswag says
Banana Bread is like my most favorite thing ever.
Mellisa says
Banana Bread is one of my favorite treats to make! Love eating it when it’s warm.
Jennifer @ MySweetSanity says
This looks like it turned out good! Nice and moist.
Angela says
I prefer to use walnuts in my banana bread. Your recipe is great. I can see from your pic how moist the bread was.