4 Ingredient banana bread is a deliciously sweet, soft and moist banana bread made with 4 simple ingredients. This one bowl banana bread is made without cake mix. It’s the perfect, easy to make dessert or snack to make when you only have a few ingredients on hand.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
There is something so cozy and inviting about banana bread. I especially love my Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, Apple Banana Bread, Nutella Banana Bread and Brown Butter Banana Bread recipes. This four ingredient banana bread is no exception. If you’re a fan of wonderfully moist and incredibly easy banana bread, this recipe is for you.
- You love baking shortcuts: Grab swap out the usual dry ingredients for self rising flour. Then mix with 3 other ingredients and bake up a beautiful and classic golden brown banana bread loaf.
- Easy to make, bake and eat: This self rising flour banana bread is super simple to make in one bowl, a whisk and loaf pan. The result is a beautiful and wonderfully cozy homemade banana bread made with just a few ingredients.
Ingredients
This easy banana bread requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge.
Gather self rising flour, eggs, brown sugar and ripe bananas.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make this moist and tender banana cake bread if you need them.
- Self Rising Flour: This is a key component for this banana bread without cake mix. Make a DIY self rising flour by mixing 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Mix well and follow the rest of the recipe as written. If you still prefer to use premade dry mix, make sure to check out my Cake Mix Banana Bread.
- Mashed Banana: Make sure the bananas are fully ripened with some brown spots.
- Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.
- Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would be a good substitute to make this four ingredient banana bread refined sugar free.
Variations
- Add- Ins: Add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or other ground spices such as ginger. Make banana nut bread by adding 1 cup chopped nuts into the cake mix right after mixing all the other ingredients together. Add up to 1 cup chocolate chips for chocolate chip banana bread with cake mix.
- Flourless 4 Ingredient Banana Bread: This version bakes up more as a cake or fluffy bars rather than tall banana bread. Mix 4 mashed bananas (about 2 cups) with 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 2 cups old fashioned oats and 1 cup chocolate chips. Pour into a 9 x 5 loaf pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes of until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
How To Make
Learn how to make 4 ingredient banana bread in two easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C). Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides. In a large mixing bowl mash about 3 - 4 medium bananas to measure 1 ½ cups mashed banana. Whisk the eggs and brown sugar into the mashed banana until smooth and until well combined. Whisk the self rising flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. If you want to add any extra flavor ingredients sich as nuts or chocolate chips, do so now.
- Evenly pour the banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Top the banana bread with a sliced banana and more brown sugar if you like. Bake the bread for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out with a few moist (not wet or gummy) crumbs. Cool the banana cake bread in the loaf pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Fully cool the bread for at least an hour at room temperature, slice and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Place leftover banana bread in an airtight container or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Then transfer the bread to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze: Slice and individually wrap each slice of banana bread with cake mix in wax or parchment paper and transfer each wrapped slice into a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and best way to thaw the self rising banana bread is to let it slowly thaw at room temperature. Then pop a slice or two into the toaster or into the microwave for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in moist and perfectly mixed self rising banana bread.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to mix the self rising flour into the wet until just combined.
- Play around with the flavors. Add your favorite ground spices, nuts or chocolate chips. The best banana bread is the one with all the flavors you love.
- Fully cool the banana loaf. This banana bread needs at least an hour to fully cool. If you slice into the banana bread too soon, the bread will be mushy.
FAQs
If the bananas smell off or has an alcohol smell, it’s too ripe for banana bread. While a black or very dark banana peel is ok, if the inside of the banana is also starting to turn brown or black, the banana is rotting and should not be used.
Most likely this is from overmixing the flour. Mix the dry ingredients, into the wet until just combined. Resist the urge to make the batter completely smooth.
Cooling banana bread for at least 1 - 2 hours allows the structure of the bread to fully set. Your patience will be rewarded with perfectly slices of banana bread.
Use an 8 x 2 inch square pan or a 9 x 2 inch round cake pan. Keep in mind that the pans are not as deep as a 9 x 5. Therefore, the baking times for the banana bread will not be as long.
Other Banana Recipes to Try
If you try this 4 Ingredient Banana Bread recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
4 Ingredient Banana Bread Recipe
Equipment
- 1 9 X 5 loaf pan
- 1 sheet parchment paper
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 whisk
- 1 knife optional
Ingredients
- 1½ cups mashed banana about 3 medium
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar
- 2 cups (240 g) self rising flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (170 C). Line a 9x5 loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on two sides.
- In a large mixing bowl mash about 3 - 4 medium bananas to measure 1 ½ cups mashed banana. Whisk the eggs and brown sugar into the mashed banana until smooth and until well combined.1½ cups mashed banana, 2 large eggs, ¾ cup (150 g) brown sugar
- Whisk the self rising flour into the wet ingredients until just combined. If you want to add any extra flavor ingredients sich as nuts or chocolate chips, do so now.2 cups (240 g) self rising flour
- Evenly pour the banana bread batter into the prepared pan. Top the banana bread with a sliced banana and more brown sugar if you like. Bake the bread for 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out with a few moist (not wet or gummy) crumbs.
- Cool the banana cake bread in the loaf pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment sling to lift the bread out of the pan. Fully cool the bread for at least an hour at room temperature, slice and enjoy.
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