Got overripe bananas going black on the counter? Don’t throw them out! The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavourful your cake will be. This is the traditional American Banana Bread recipe — a wonderfully moist, tender loaf that’s perfect for afternoon tea, breakfast, or dessert. It couldn’t be easier to make!
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 160 g salted butter
- 250 g plain flour
- 200 g soft brown sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 sachet baking powder
- 1 vanilla pod (or 1 sachet of vanilla sugar)
- A splash of rum (optional)
Substitutions
- Lighter version: Replace the butter with plain yogurt or fromage blanc to reduce calories.
- Gluten-free: Swap the plain flour for a mix of 125 g buckwheat flour + 125 g rice flour.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) and butter a rectangular loaf tin.
- Melt the butter, then mix it with the brown sugar in a large bowl.
- Gradually add the eggs, flour, vanilla and rum, mixing well between each addition.
- Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork in a separate bowl until smooth.
- Fold the mashed bananas into the batter until fully combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared tin. If using a vanilla pod, you can leave it in for extra fragrance (just remove it when slicing).
- Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a skewer — it should come out clean.
- Allow to cool before slicing and enjoying!
Enjoy! 🍌
Optional: For an indulgent finish, drizzle the cooled loaf with melted chocolate and butter icing, then decorate with banana slices.
Love bananas? Also try our Alloco — Fried Plantain recipe from West Africa!