The Best Banana Bread

Banana bread is a moist, cake-like quick bread made with overripe bananas. It initially became popular in the 1930s, alongside the emergence of baking soda and baking powder. Banana bread is now considered an easy and iconic homemade loaf.

Classic banana bread ingredients include:

• Flour
• Salt
• Baking soda
• Sugar
• Cinnamon
• Bananas

The batter itself is very simple and well-suited for improvisation through mix-ins. Popular additions include:

• Walnuts
• Mini chocolate chips
• Peanut butter
• Pecans
• Raisins
• Cranberries

• Don’t overmix the batter. This will result in a dense, dry crumb—you want it a little wet and airy.
• Don’t forget moisture. While you don’t want to go overboard (no one wants a raw loaf), a moist banana bread will include additional liquid to keep the bread even. Vegetable oil is common, and some, like the one below, use yogurt, but you could also use coconut oil for a vegan substitution.
• Use brown sugar, not white. Brown sugar is the superpower behind every soft, chewy cookie you’ve ever had, and its warm, molasses flavors make it a must-have in banana bread.

Cover and store at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. Banana bread well-wrapped in plastic wrap or foil can be frozen for up to 4 months and easily thawed at room temperature. For easier enjoyment, slice the loaf before freezing.

• Banana bread with nuts. For added texture and soft crunch, add ¾ chopped nuts (walnuts are a traditional favorite, but pecans are great too) to the batter before baking.
• Banana bread with chocolate chips. Dark swirls of chocolate take banana bread to a more indulgent place: Add ¾ cup chocolate chips (or chopped chocolate chunks for a more structured chocolate presence; chips will melt quickly) to the batter before baking.
• Vegan banana bread. Though it gets its structure from eggs, banana bread can be made vegan using coconut oil and almond milk and a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The loaf will be a little denser, but still redolent of banana and spices.
• Gluten-free banana bread. To make gluten-free banana bread, substitute gluten-free flour, widely available in grocery stores, into any recipe.
• Banana bread with toppings. If you like a bit of crunch on your quick breads, sprinkle Demerara sugar over the top of your banana bread before baking—it will create a caramelized, crackly top-crust. For an easy cream cheese frosting, beat 4 oz. cream cheese and ¼ cup unsalted butter together until smooth. Add 1 cup confectioners sugar, ½ tsp vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, and continue to whip until well-combined and stiff. Spread over the top of a cooled loaf for an elegant presentation.