Mark Bittman’s Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

This bread turned out like a brick, and I'm assuming it's because the bananas I used were on the small side. Next time I'd use 5 of the smaller ones.
I wish people who create recipes would list equivalent weights and measures for things like fruits and vegetables. "Three bananas" turns out to be too imprecise for a not-so-experienced baker like me.

I have been baking for 40 years. This recipe has the standard ratios of (+/-) 1/2 c butter / oil, 1 c sugar, 2 c flour, 2 eggs, + "ingredient that gives the cake its name" found in most basic cakes. For banana loaves/cakes this is generally 2 large or 3 medium bananas giving +/- 1 cup of mashed banana. If the loaf turned out like a brick, it was not because of too few bananas. The most likely reason for problems is lack of experience in making cakes from scratch (or a faulty oven).

Just made this for the second time. Additional observations: it helps to have all ingredients at room temperature before you begin, and this bread freezes well. Just slice when completely cooled and pile into a plastic freezer bag. To prepare, pop slices into the toaster (oven) frozen at a setting between light and medium.

I've made this twice now, once as written and the second with a few modifications. By far I prefer the second method:- Cream butter and sugar together for approx 5 min in stand mixer (until very light and fluffy). Butter must be room temp. - Pecans instead of walnuts, toasted then chopped very fine- Grated whole-fat coconut, first toasted light brown on stovetop- 1 tsp cinnamon- Added vanilla to wet mixture after beating in eggs and bananasBest banana bread I've ever made.

No big deal, but it seemed odd to "gently stir in" the liquid vanilla extract at the end along with the dry nuts & coconut -??
So - call me crazy! - I just blended it into the liquid butter/eggs/bananas mix instead, for easier/more even dispersal of vanilla flavor.
Also sub'd sweetened shredded coconut because that's what I had, and reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup. Tasted delicious!

What do people use for weight equivalents? I used 200g all-purpose flour, 65g whole wheat flour and 170g sugar. I do wish NYT would include weights in their recipes.

The NY Times is my go-to cooking app and it is so annoying when a minor editing error causes a major problem!! Come on guys! The recipe does not say to cream the butter and sugar together before adding the eggs and then the banana. A necessary step as otherwise the butter will not adhere to the sugar and dissolve properly. I had to throw out my butter-egg-banana-mixture and start over. It’s delicious if the ingredients are mixed in the proper order.

Tips:
1) Bananas (5 not 3) not quite ripe; stored them in ceramic coated cast iron pot; kept them there about two weeks, inside the plastic grocery bag. Didn't turn black, but they were sugary and mushy when I used them. I would do it again.
2) To cream butter, first cut into cubes, sprinkle with 2 tbsp brown sugar, and easily creamed with a fork.
3) Added 1tsp cinnamon, 1tsp cayenne.
4) Used potato masher to mix dry wet ingredients. No processor needed.
5) Used bundt pan to bake.

Baked this the first time exactly as directed and it was fine but it was a bit sloppy mixing the butter with the eggs and bananas. Also, the butter oozed out of the pan while baking-something that has never happened before.The second time, I creamed the butter and sugar together, then the bananas, vanilla, and then the eggs. It was much lighter and better mixed. I think this was was easier to mix and the final cake was lighter and more moist.

Second time making this, I lightly toasted the coconut (on cookie sheet while pre-heating oven) before mixing it in to the batter.
Gave the bread an even more delicious, slightly-tropical vibe; will definitely make again!

You don't need to use a hand mixer. It won't make any difference except to make more work for your arm. In a stand mixer cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add one egg at a time beating well after each, then beat in the bananas. The mixture will look curdled but once you add the flour it will be fine. Don't over beat the flour. Mix until just combined, then fold in additional flavorings. I use chocolate chips. Very nice.

I lowered suger to 1/2 cup and skipped the nuts. I added 1 tsp of cinnamon. I like the texture of the bread due to the whole wheat flour.

I am an experienced baker, making my own bread, english muffins, croissant, etc. I followed the instructions to the letter and had all ingredients at room temperature. My loaf also turned out like a brick. It is edible but not what I expected.

With no whole wheat flour on hand, I used 2 cups of King Arthur unbleached white flour. The result was light and delicious, leaning a little more to a cake, perhaps. I’ve done it this way twice and would say the wheat flour is entirely optional depending on the taste and texture you want.

the second time i made this i was reading recipe off phone and accidentally added a full extra cup of flour. i looked down on those expensive ingredients (i am really poor) and thought i must save it. i added two more eggs more vanilla, more butter and a splash of milk more bananas it came out edible a little dry but i saved a big mistake in baking and it felt great! and god made butter to slather on dry banana bread and the dog liked it too. going to try third time right now. muffins?

Subbed in chocolate chips for nuts and used all white flour. VERY ripe bananas with all-black peels. Mine came out delicious - fluffy, light and buttery.

Used only 1/4 cup sugar and swapped the whole wheat and AP amounts of flour. My three bananas were very large. Baked only about 40 minutes, but loved it.

I don't think my bananas were far enough gone to get the right flavor, but the recipe is perfectly fine. Left out the nuts and coconut with no issue. Also reversed the wheat/all-purpose amounts and again, no issue. Baked in a glass bread pan for 65 mins.

Fantastic. I followed the advice of others and subbed in chocolate chips for the walnuts and coconut. Perfect banana bread.

I made this bread as written and found it to be very tasty, not brick like. If anything I’d decrease the sugar amount a bit. The salt level is also nice.

I made this gluten free with a combination of oat (1 cup), buckwheat (1/2 cup) and almond flour (1/2 cup) and it was outstanding. I added a tsp. of xanthan gum and baking soda in addition to the baking powder. Shockingly moist. My family didn't even ask if it was gf.

I've used a standing mixer. I have creamed the butter with the sugar (3/4 cup powder sugar as I did not have granulated sugar at home and wanted to reduce the sweetness) and added the eggs and vanilla, salt, baking powder and lastly the flour (1 1/2 cups only). 3 ripe bananas. Increased walnut amount to 3/4 cups. Baked it at 375F for 45 mins.Very delicious and perfect texture, very light. I am adding it to the regular rotation.

I made a mistake of not reading everyone's cooking notes before I made this. I made this as directed, as it was baking - butter oozing and bubbling was a bit off-putting. End result = kinda stodgy. After reading notes - IF I make again, will cream butter and sugar together. Overall rating - meh (sorry Mr. B!)

About as good as banana bread gets. The walnuts and coconut are a must. I did not use wheat flour, and used Earth Balance butter. Baked for the full hour, the top came out nice and crispy.

I only had two bananas, so I blitzed them in the Vitamix with a chunk of pineapple that was on the way out. Heaven in a loaf pan.We ate it with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce since it was most of the way to a banana split. Exquisite.

I found it difficult to keep the butter egg mixture smooth and not lumpy when doing it by hand. And I thought it odd to mix the sugar with the dry ingredients. Next time I will cream the butter with the sugar before adding the eggs as in a butter cake.

This was tasteless, dense and dry. I have my own banana bread recipe I love, but decided to branch out and try something new, my mistake.

made it with semi-dried mini bananas (a gift from Thailand, strong taste), mixed them with water in a blender. noticed the instruction to pour batter into pan, so added water until I could easily spoon it into loaf pan. added walnuts. very happy with result. perfect consistency. had to bake for one hour and a quarter (gas oven)

This turned out like a brick for me as well. Maybe I over mixed?

Fortunately the problem many have had with trying to cream the butter with the eggs turned out not to be a problem, surprisingly. This is a lovely loaf, however, for me the coconut overpowered the banana flavor. I probably won't be making this one again - back to my tried and true.