the perfect base banana bread

this particular entry has been weeks in the making. it's hard to focus on things outside of daily life- in this new life. this new reality. the one where a pandemic has forced each and every person into a new version of their lives. as im sitting here typing out this post, im finding its cathartic. as has been baking. this process of following a recipe, its exactly what i need. right here. in this moment. in that sense, the perfect base banana bread arrives on the blog at exactly the right time.

why banana bread?

when i first started baking- after many years away, it was banana bread that held my attention. im not a huge fan of bananas. so, it has always struck me as odd. that this particular baked good should capture so much of my attention. but, life is funny. now, banana bread happens to be one of my favorite recipes to make! its the easiest of all the quick breads you could possibly ever bake.

ive been tweaking this recipe for the perfect base banana bread for YEARS. its not really something that i intentionally did. i tweaked based off of what i had on hand at the time. after realizing this a few weeks ago, i finally made a loaf just to photograph.

the most basic banana bread there ever was. but, also the perfect base for all of my other quick breads. this recipe is pretty much entirely customizable based on what you have in your pantry and what you're craving! for a list of ideas, just scroll down. i've linked all the recipes currently on my site that utilize this as the base. enjoy!

basic list of ingredients

at minimum you will need these ingredients to make the perfect base banana bread

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• bananas (ripe with lots of brown spots)
• unsalted butter (I love this browned for extra flavor)
• brown sugar and/or granulated sugar
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• yogurt

what makes this the best?

after reading this article about the perfect banana bread (i know- blogger reads for sure), i knew my version met all the criteria for the "perfect banana bread." to save you a few minutes, the gist of what makes the perfect bread is this:

• strong banana flavor
• moist and tender
• holds a firm slice
• caramelized topping (crunchy sugar!!)
• holds up well the next day (can be toasted)
• easy to make
• minimal dishes

well, after reading that article, i whipped up my own version just to check how many things mine checked off the list. in my humble opinion, my version checks all the things off the list! making it my perfect base banana bread recipe.

a few tips to make the perfect base banana bread...

food substitutes:

• all purpose vs bread vs cake flours: ive made this recipe using only all purpose, as well as with a blend of AP and one of the other two. it is my preference to do 1/2 AP and 1/2 bread or cake flour. much like the names suggests
  • the one with cake flour will be fluffier and a little less sturdy.
  • the one with bread flour will have a great crumb and will be a bit sturdier
  • use what you have in your pantry!
  • if you want to use a GF flour, i suggest one that's a 1:1 substitute
• butter vs tahini: my perfect tasting banana bread has a nutty note running through it. I love tahini for this
  • for the most classic version, use only melted, unsalted butter
  • you could brown the butter for a light nutty note. (see recipe notes)
• no eggs? no problem: if you're running low on eggs, you can absolutely sub them out for a number of different things. i found this article from The Kitchn very helpful. the best sub for baking is very surprising!
• whole milk greek yogurt: you can use any yogurt you have on hand. im a lover of whole milk greek yogurt, so it finds it way into all my quick breads

tips and tools:

• measure your bananas: 1 1/4 c of mashed bananas is about 2 1/2 - 3 medium bananas. its important to measure this as your results will end up different if you don't have enough/have too much banana
• pan size: this calls for a 9X5 loaf pan. you could also use
  • 8X8, 9X9, 8-9" round, or about 12 muffins.
  • you'll want to adjust the baking times accordingly.
  • starting around 18-30 minutes depending on the pan.
  • the bread is done when the top is golden and a few or no moist crumbs come out on a toothpick
• toppings: this is my favorite part of any banana bread! the sky is the limit, but my favorite toppings/add-ins are: 1c chocolate chips inside and on top, cinnamon swirl or 1/4 c turbinado sugar sprinkled on the top, you could also top with the PB and honey- picture here!

need some other quick bread inspiration? these are my favorite!

• chai spiced carrot loaf cake
• cinnamon streusel banana coffee cake
• blood orange loaf cake
• brown butter pumpkin bread
• caramel swirled banana bread
• tahini buttercream banana bread bars