Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (or substitute vegetable oil)
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⅓ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 small bananas)

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pan
   Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour, or line with parchment paper, an 8×4-inch loaf pan.
2. Mash the Bananas
   In a small bowl, mash bananas with a fork until you have about 1⅓ cups of mash.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients
   In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Cream the Butter and Sugars
   In a medium bowl, beat together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar using a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
5. Add Wet Ingredients
   Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla extract. Mix until smooth, then stir in mashed bananas.
6. Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures
   Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined — do not overmix.
7. Bake
   Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Avoid overbaking.
8. Cool
   Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Notes

• Ripen bananas quickly: Bake unpeeled bananas at 350°F for 15 minutes, until skins turn black. Let cool before using.
• Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup instead of scooping directly from the bag.
• Check early: Every oven varies—start checking for doneness about 10 minutes before the suggested baking time.
• Cooling tip: Remove the loaf from the pan before it’s fully cool to prevent sogginess.

Nutrition