Description
So you’ve got those bananas sitting on your counter looking like they’ve seen better days, right? Black spots everywhere, maybe even a little squishy? Don’t you dare throw them out! Those ugly bananas are GOLD for banana bread. I’m talking about that super moist, incredibly flavorful banana bread that puts all those store-bought loaves to shame. This recipe has been passed down through my family, tweaked over the years, and I’m pretty sure it’s as close to perfection as banana bread gets.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Bread:
- 3–4 very ripe bananas (the blacker and uglier, the better – seriously!)
- 1/3 cup melted butter (or vegetable oil if you want it even more moist)
- 3/4 cup sugar (I use brown sugar for extra moisture, but white works too)
- 1 egg, beaten (room temperature is best)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (the real stuff, not imitation)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (check the date – old baking soda is useless)
- Pinch of salt (don’t skip this – it makes everything taste better)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (don’t pack it down when measuring)
- Optional: 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (because why not?)
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips (if you’re feeling fancy)
For Extra Moisture Magic:
- 2–3 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt (secret ingredient alert!)
- 1 tablespoon milk (any kind works)