Soft, moist, and perfectly sweet, this banana bread is everything you want from a classic comfort bake — tender crumb, rich banana flavor, and a caramelized top that smells like home. It’s simple enough for a weekday morning yet special enough to wrap up for a friend.
Tip: The secret to deeply flavored banana bread is overripe bananas — the spottier, the better. Their natural sugars add moisture and depth. If yours aren’t quite there, pop them in a 300°F oven for about 10–15 minutes until the skins blacken and the fruit softens.
A touch of vinegar gives the loaf a subtle lift, while a sprinkle of turbinado sugar creates a golden, crackly crust. Cinnamon and cardamom add warmth, but you can skip the spices for a purer banana flavor — or lean into fall vibes with a pinch of nutmeg or clove.
Tricks for success:
Don’t overmix once you add the flour; gentle stirring keeps the crumb tender.
If using a standard loaf pan, use parchment with overhangs so you can lift the loaf out easily once it’s cool.
For an extra treat, stir in chocolate chips, toasted nuts, or shredded coconut before baking.
The bread keeps beautifully at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze slices for grab-and-go snacks.
Ingredients
Neutral oil (for greasing the pan)
3 ripe bananas, well-spotted
¾ cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
½ cup (113g) neutral oil, I used avocado
1 tablespoon (14g) vanilla
1½ teaspoons (7g) apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon (1g) ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
1½ cups (187g) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
½ teaspoon (2g) baking powder
coarse sugar or flaked salt for topping
optional mix-ins: chocolate chips, pistachio butter, nutella, etc.
Instructions
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan or 8-cavity Mini Loaf Pan with a little oil (about 1 tablespoon). Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
Peel and mash the bananas in a medium bowl until mostly smooth (you should have roughly 1½ cups or 400g).
Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, oil, vanilla, vinegar, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom (if using) until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder directly on top of the wet ingredients. Use a fork or whisk to mix the dry ingredients together first, then fold everything into a uniform batter—make sure there are no dry patches.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar (and a pinch of flaky salt, if you’d like).
Bake for about 60 minutes for the standard loaf pan or 40 minutes for the mini, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should spring back lightly when pressed.
Let the loaf cool completely in the pan. Once cool, lift it out using the parchment paper and slice to serve.