Easy Banana Bread Recipe
Easy Banana Bread Recipe | Winchester Cookery School
There’s something incredibly satisfying about turning a few overripe bananas into a beautifully moist loaf. Banana bread is one of those recipes that fills the kitchen with an amazing aroma and is just as good warm from the oven as it is toasted with butter the next day.
This is the recipe we use when we want a simple, reliable loaf that’s perfect with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients
3 ripe bananas
125g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
2 medium eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
225g self-raising flour
Pinch of sea salt (optional)
Method
Preheat the oven to 170°C fan (190°C conventional). Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper.
Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps add great texture.
In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract and olive oil.
Fold the mashed bananas into the mixture.
Gently fold in the self-raising flour (and a pinch of salt if using). Mix only until there are no dry streaks of flour—overmixing can make the loaf dense.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and level the top.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top starts to brown too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the final 15 minutes.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Chef’s Tips
The blacker the bananas, the sweeter and more flavourful your loaf will be.
A splash of olive oil helps keep the crumb moist for several days.
Don’t overmix once the flour has been added—this is the secret to a light, tender banana bread.
Delicious served warm with salted butter, or toasted the following day.
Variations
Once you’ve mastered the basic recipe, try adding:
A handful of dark chocolate chips.
Chopped walnuts or pecans.
A teaspoon of cinnamon.
A pinch of mixed spice for a warming flavour.
Storage
Store in an airtight container for up to four days. It also freezes beautifully—slice before freezing so you can simply toast a slice whenever you fancy one.
At Winchester Cookery School, we believe great baking doesn’t have to be complicated. With a few quality ingredients and simple techniques, anyone can bake a loaf that’s soft, moist and packed with natural banana flavour.
