ByKristine Updated:
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Traditional Banana Bread

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This traditional banana bread recipe was given to me by my mom and it’s the very best one! Promise!

You'll love this perfectly sweet traditional banana bread recipe! When I was a little girl, I always looked forward to the days my mom would bake banana bread. It was so soft and sweet; a real treat in our house! I think I liked licking the bowl almost as much as eating the actual bread. I’ve always been a batter/dough girl though.

This is the best recipe for simple and sweet traditional banana bread! When it comes to banana breads, I think I prefer traditional banana bread most. It’s so simple, and sweet, and just…wholesome, isn’t it? I love to slice off a piece with my coffee in the morning or steal the end chunk on my way to bed at night. Banana bread is totally my comfort food!

This is an old family recipe for traditional banana bread! My mom has been baking this recipe for as long as I can remember, so it was a no-brainer for me to continue to use it with my own family. I never stray from it, but I’ve made a few subtle changes to it over the years.

I now substitute white whole wheat flour for the white flour and lessen the amount of sugar from 1-1/2 cups to 3/4 cup to make it a little bit healthier. Neither one of these modifications impacted the final results at all and it has become one of my favorite recipes of all time!

This is the best recipe for soft and sweet traditional banana bread! The thing I like the most about this banana bread recipe is the crust. This traditional banana bread comes out wiht the most perfect crispy crust, yet the bread is soft and spongy on the inside. It’s divine, really. It’s not overly sweet (since I took out half of the sugar, haha), but it’s sweet enough and has all of the banana goodness you’d expect from a homemade banana bread.

I’ve gotten really creative and added things like peanut butter and chocolate chips, pecans, strawberries, and even pumpkin puree to this recipe to change it up just a bit and it’s been a winner every single time.

Traditional Banana Bread

The best traditional banana bread recipe that's quick to make and the bread is soft, sweet, and flavorful.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Bread & Muffins
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 24 slices
Calories: 111kcal
Author: Kristine

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup milk (I used 2%, but any will work)
  • 2 cups flour (I used white whole wheat flour, but you can also use unbleached white flour)
  • 4 mashed bananas (the more ripe the better!)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease loaf pan.
  • In a small bowl mash bananas and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.
  • Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well.
  • Stir in vanilla and milk.
  • Add flour, half at a time and mix well.
  • Fold in mashed bananas and stir to combine.
  • Pour batter into prepared loaf pan(s).
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.
  • Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container or freeze.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 111kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.8g | Protein: 2.1g | Fat: 4.5g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Sodium: 110mg | Fiber: 1.4g | Sugar: 8.5g
Did you make this recipe? We want to see!Mention @kristineinbetween or tag #kristineinbetween!

Try our second favorite, whole wheat peanut butter banana muffins with chocoalte chips!


Kristine Underwood standing in her kitchen with her dog.

About Kristine

Kristine is a self-taught cookie baker and photographer. She's passionate about finding time for everything and making baking, crafting and homemaking simple. More...

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10 Comments

  1. Banana bread is my favorite homemade bread and yours looks perfectly golden!

    Reply

    1. Oh mine too, Lisa! I think banana bread is also one of my favorites to bake because it super simple! Thank you so much!

      Reply

  2. Thank you so much for sharing your Mother’s recipe. I don’t have a banana recipe of my own, this may be it!

    Reply

  3. I have a bundle of over-ripe bananas in my kitchen, I think I might have to make this today! Looks delicious!

    Reply

    1. Heck yes – do it, Emily! I hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much!

      Reply

    1. It definitely is! Old recipes are my all-time favorite! 🙂

      Reply

  5. I just start eating banana bread as an adult and now I’m hooked on it! I love adding raisins and cinnamon walnuts all kinds of things to my banana bread. I don’t like my stuff overly sweet too..bananas when they’re really ripe are sweet enough ? yours came out perfectly it’s so pretty and brown LOL

    Reply

    1. Oh wow Gina! Mmm yes, cinnamon and nuts sound just delicious! I like to get creative with baking too! Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply