This banana bread recipe is by far my most-loved version. Classic banana bread spiced up with cinnamon and soft brown sugar delivers a loaf so good, you won’t be able to stop at just one slice. Guaranteed!
Ingredients needed
Banana bread is famous for being a quick recipe to throw together with ingredients you already have on hand. The softer your bananas, the better. I also use frozen and thawed bananas often as they make excellent banana bread. The combination of baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) and baking powder adds plenty of lift and a beautiful brown colour to the finished bread while cinnamon and brown sugar makes sure every bite is utterly delicious.
- Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can be substituted too.
- Brown sugar. I used muscavado sugar but any soft brown sugar will work.
- Eggs.
- Bananas. Make sure the bananas you are using are very soft and overripe. The softer and riper the bananas, the better the banana bread will be.
- Vanilla.
- Cinnamon.
- Flour. All purpose flour or cake flour work well.
- Baking powder.
- Baking soda.
- Salt.
How to make cinnamon banana bread
- Make the batter: Preheat the oven and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Using a stand mixer or a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together room temperature butter and soft, brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, mixing well after each addition. Use over-ripe bananas (the blacker, the better) and add to the batter. At this point, the batter will look split and curdled but don’t worry, the moment you add the dry ingredients it will come together. Sift in the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until just combined and the batter is smooth and creamy.
- Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the cinnamon sugar mixture and place in the oven. Allow to bake for 45 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing and serving.
How to store banana bread
Wrap baked and cooled banana bread in parchment paper or foil and place in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. You can also keep your banana bread in the fridge for up to a week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Can you freeze banana bread?
Yes, banana bread freezes very well. Wrap baked and cooled banana bread tightly in a layer of parchment paper and then foil. Place in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze slices of banana bread in the same way.
Banana bread recipes:
Brown sugar cinnamon banana bread
Ingredients
- 125 g (½ cup) butter room temperature
- 200 g (1 cup) brown sugar I used muscavado sugar
- 2 extra-large eggs
- 6 (approximately 350g) large bananas (the blacker they are, the better)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 250 g (2 cups) flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
for the topping
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC/350°F and grease and line a standard loaf tin (approx 20cmx12cm) with baking paper.
- In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy then add the eggs one a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add the bananas and vanilla extract and mix well.
- Sift together the dry ingredients and stir into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf tin.
- Mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the topping and sprinkle over the banana bread.
- Place the tin in the oven and allow to bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
I’ve cooked it according to the recipe. After 45 minutes I checked it with a skewer and it came out clean. An hour later I have cut into it in the middle and it is not cooked. Really disappointed. I have put it back onto the oven to see if I can salvage anything as it seems like such a waste of some lovely ingredients but I am gutted as I was so looking forward to this.
Hi Vicky. This is very strange – if the skewer comes out clean it’s never happened to me that the bread isn’t cooked inside. Especially after an hour’s resting time. I have tested this recipe countless times and that has never happened to me. At what temp did you bake the banana bread?
The best banana bread recipe I have ever made. It turns out every time and that special topping just makes it more delicious.
I was always searching for a better banana bread recipe but now I have found the one that I always stick to and my family love it.
Thank you Alida for sharing this fab recipe.
Great recipe! Tastes delicious! The only thing I’d say is that I’m struggling to get the baking time right – I baked it at 350 F for 50 mins and the outside of it was definitely done / starting to go dry but the very middle of it is a bit gooey still… how do I make sure the middle is baked enough without the rest being too dry?
That is strange, I’ve never had that issue. Perhaps cover with foil half-way through baking to allow the center to cook all the way without the edges getting too crusty.
I made this banana bread..it baked 55 min at 350…I tested it and the tester was clean as a whistle.. after it cooled it sank in the middle…it’s gooey so we put it in the microwave for about a minute…still a bit gooey but it’s edible…I’ll make it again and cook longer… thanks for sharing..
Hey Alida, I’ve had my loaf in the over for nearly an hour and a half and it’s still wet in the middle, but I followed your recipe exactly, I’m scared of turning up the heat because I don’t want the top to burn, what should I do? 🙁
What temperature are you baking it at?
180, I took it out after 2 and a bit hours because the top was starting to get really dark. It’s still really stodgy though
That’s really strange. After 2 and a half hours at 180 degrees Celsius it should be completely burnt and over cooked.
I know it makes no sense! Well either way it tastes amazing, nothing was going to stop me from eating it!
I have made this twice, really tasty with a few extra ingredients 1/4 tsp ground cloves and 1/4 nutmeg. I also noticed 350 for allotted baking time does cause center to be gooey. I baked at 325 for 15 minutes and then put oven back to 350, for 50 to sixty minutes. I also only used 4 bananas,and drizzled on honey while warm.
Works a treat this recipe, thanks
Super lovely and gorgeously tasty but although my tin equated your measurements the mixture filled it right to the top and therefore overflowed when baking. Any suggestions as to what I did wrong?
It could be that your tin is more shallow than mine? Can’t think of another reason it would fill the tin that much unless the tin was smaller?
Hello, have you tried making this in a bread maker ?
I haven’t but I think it would work very well?
Can I half this and will it turn out?
No, I wouldn’t suggest changing the quantities.
Can u make muffins instead of bread with this recipe.
Yes, you can. Cooking time will just need to be adjusted.
Hi Christa, thank you for sharing this recipe! Do you use convention/traditional or convection oven mode to bake at 45mins? 🙂 What is the recommended duration for convection mode? Thank you!
H Alida, Can I use ordinary brown sugar in this recipe?
Thank you.
Absolutely!
The bread tastes great! Made the recipe this afternoon. Like the idea of putting soft bananas in a zip-type bag and smashing. The recipe took a bit longer to make than stated, but turned out so much better this time. Thanks for sharing!
Should have option to rate it 10 out 10, so yum
Thanks for sharing.
Hi please help! I’m from the UK so hoping the grams are correct as I know uk has a different style measurements. My question is that I only have really small medium eggs at home, so how many should I use to substitute the extra large eggs?
The eggs I use are approximately 60g in weight.
I basically buy too many bananas now, because I make one of your banana variant recipes weekly. Tried this one today, gosh this was a total hit and so yum with the cinnamon in / brown sugar combo! Well done again on another great recipe, easy for someone who isn’t a baker 😉
So happy to hear that Veronica. I love this banana bread. 🙂
Just made it n tasted it a few minutes back….. it’s really fluffy light n yummy. A keeper 🙂 thanks so much
So happy you liked it. 🙂
The recipes all call for a number of grams of mashed bananas. How many bananas is that?
Approximately 4-6 bananas, depending on size.
So good . Easy to make and the whole family loves it.
Yay! So happy to hear that Cassie.
This recipe is completely delicious.my go-to banana bread recipe.
So happy to hear that Jacqui!
Doubled the recipe and baked two loaves. Best banana bread recipe I’ve ever tried. So full of flavor and perfect for brunch.
Wow! What a great compliment. Thanks so much Lisa!
OMG! This is the best banana bread ever; so moist it’s mouth watering. Everyone that had it, loved it
That’s great to hear Clare. It’s my absolute favorite banana bread recipe. 🙂
Hi,
Where do you have the conversion chart?
Thank you,
Hoa
You can find my conversion chart here: http://simply-delicious-food.com/conversion-chart/
Where are you actually at so I can know how to convert your measurements and oven setting to USA way. Thanks
I am based in South Africa. I have a conversion chart in the side bar for easy conversions.
Can you tell me if this is AP or self raising flour please? It doesn’t specify.
All purpose flour. The recipe already has a raising agent in it so self-raising isn’t necessary.
I made this banana bread today and it the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever tried. It is so moist and flavorsome. I seriously can’t stop eating it. Thanks so much for this recipe.
That’s so great to hear Gail. I have to be honest, it’s the only recipe I use lately and I have two loaves in the oven using up some soft bananas that were lurking in my fruit bowl as we speak. 🙂
Plain or self raising flour?
I used plain but if you want to use self raising, halve the amount of raising agent used.
What degrees should this bread be baked at? I see you put 180 and I tried the 180 for 40 min and it’s hardly warm so I just bumped it up to 350 hoping it will bake.
Thanks in advance!
Hi Emily. The temperature is 180 degrees Celsius and that is around 359 Fahrenheit so your loaf should be perfect.
You can never go wrong with banana bread and this loaf looks so delicious!
Thanks so much Laura!
How gorgeous! I love banana bread and this brown sugar cinnamon flavor fest is exactly what I need to make this weekend with my left over bananas 🙂
Yes indeedy! 🙂
Looks delicious!
Thanks Sam!
Thick slices of warm banana bread spread with butter is still my favourite snack. My mom used to bake banana bread all the time when I was a child and I have never baked it myself. Maybe it’s time that changed. ?
Definitely! Once you start baking banana bread, you won’t be able to stop! There is nothing as satisfying.
Who doesn’t love banana bread? I never add cinnamon to mine but you’ve just convinced me!
Let me know what you think of the cinnamon! 🙂
I love the look of this bread. I make banana bread every week with our soft bananas and this week I’ll be trying your version!
Thanks Barbara! Let me know what you think!
I know I won’t be able to stop at one slice! It looks delicious Alida! Banana bread is always a favorite at our house!
Thanks Mary Ann! It’s such a classic.