Classic Moist Banana Bread with Walnuts

Classic Moist Banana Bread

Thick slices of banana bread should have a golden-brown crust and a moist, tender crumb with banana flecks and chopped walnuts. Heavily spotted bananas provide the flavor, while measuring them after mashing keeps extra fruit from making the center too wet.

This loaf uses a hand-mixed batter with melted butter and buttermilk. Fold gently once the flour goes in, then let the bread cool completely before slicing so the crumb holds together.

Yield: 1 loaf, about 10 thick slices. Prep: 15 minutes. Bake: About 55–65 minutes, plus 60–90 minutes to cool.

Ingredients for Classic Moist Banana Bread

• 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas, from approximately 3 medium-to-large bananas (340g)
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (210g)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150g)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (115g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup buttermilk (60g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (55g)

How to Bake Banana Bread

1. Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat the oven fully to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan with a parchment sling extending above the long sides. Lightly grease the exposed pan surfaces.
2. Mash and measure: Mash the bananas until mostly smooth, with a few small pieces remaining. Measure 1 1/2 cups; do not add extra banana.
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt in one bowl. In another, whisk the mashed banana, sugar, melted butter, eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla until combined. The butter should be warm, not hot, when added to the eggs.
4. Fold the batter: Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until no dry flour remains. Briefly fold in the walnuts, then spread the thick, slightly lumpy batter in the pan. Further mixing can make the loaf dense or tough.
5. Bake: Bake uncovered on the center rack for about 55–65 minutes, starting checks at 50 minutes. The top should be golden brown and the center set. A toothpick or thin skewer inserted into the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not raw batter. If the crust browns before the center is done, loosely tent the loaf with foil and continue baking.
6. Cool and slice: Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then lift it onto a wire rack. Cool completely before cutting into about 10 thick slices. Loosely overlap a few slices to show the banana-flecked, walnut-studded crumb.

How Ripe Should the Bananas Be?

Choose soft bananas with heavily spotted peels. The number of bananas is only an estimate; the measured mashed amount controls how much moisture goes into the batter. Thawed frozen bananas also work. Drain off excess free liquid before mashing and measuring them.

How to Tell When Banana Bread Is Done

Ovens, pan materials, and banana moisture can change the baking time, so check the center rather than relying on the clock. A toothpick that hits a moist banana pocket may look wetter than the surrounding crumb; test another central spot before baking the loaf longer.

An instant-read thermometer offers another check: the center should be around 200–205°F (about 95°C). A dark metal or glass pan may brown the crust at a different rate than the specified metal pan. If the outside darkens while the middle is still wet, tent it loosely with foil and keep baking.

Serving and Variations

Serve thick slices plain, or lightly toast cooled slices and add a little butter. For another baked banana snack, try these banana peanut butter oat bars.

This loaf contains walnuts. For a different version, replace them with an equal amount of chopped pecans, omit them, or use 1/2 cup chocolate chips instead. For mild spice, whisk 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon into the flour mixture.

Cooling, Storage, and Freezing

Cool the bread completely before slicing or wrapping it. Cutting a warm loaf can make even a baked-through crumb seem gummy, while wrapping it warm traps moisture. Once cool, wrap or seal the loaf and keep it at room temperature for about 3–4 days.

Refrigeration can be useful for longer holding or in humid conditions, but it may firm or dry the bread; briefly warm a slice before serving if desired. Freeze the fully cooled loaf or individually wrapped slices, tightly protected from freezer air, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving or warming.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per thick slice, based on 10 slices: 300 calories, 5g protein, 14g fat, and 40g carbohydrates. Per 100g of baked bread: approximately 335 calories, 5g protein, 16g fat, and 44g carbohydrates, assuming a cooled loaf weighing about 900g. Values will vary with ingredients and moisture lost during baking.