Brown Sugar Banana Bread
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Rubber spatula
- 1 Fork
- 1 9x5-inch loaf pan
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Measuring cups set
- 1 Measuring spoons set
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas mashed
- 150 gram light brown sugar packed
- 75 gram granulated sugar
- 115 gram unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 60 milliliter whole milk room temperature
- 5 milliliter vanilla extract
- 190 gram all-purpose flour
- 5 gram baking soda
- 2 gram fine sea salt
- 2 gram ground cinnamon optional
- 60 gram chopped walnuts optional
- 30 gram light brown sugar for topping optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time to the sugar mixture, whisking well after each addition until fully combined.
- Mash the ripe bananas with a fork in a separate bowl until mostly smooth with a few small lumps.
- Stir the mashed bananas and milk into the wet mixture until evenly incorporated.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts if using, being careful not to overmix the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Sprinkle the extra brown sugar evenly over the top if using for a crackly crust.
- Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Place the pan on a cooling rack and let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove the loaf from the pan and let it cool on the rack for at least 5 more minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes
For best results, use bananas that are very spotted or nearly black, as they add more sweetness and moisture to the loaf; avoid overmixing once the flour is added to keep the crumb tender instead of dense. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely tent the loaf with foil during the last 15 minutes of baking, and always rely on a toothpick test rather than time alone. The bread slices more cleanly when fully cooled, and it often tastes even better the next day after resting wrapped at room temperature. You can customize the recipe by swapping walnuts for chocolate chips, pecans, or even adding a swirl of peanut butter, but keep the total mix-ins modest so the bread structure stays intact.
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