This easy 4-ingredient banana bread is a super easy recipe and is one of the tastiest and easiest banana breads you'll ever make. This tender and simple banana bread recipe is made from-scratch, using one bowl and following some easy steps. The great thing is that the crumb of this easy banana bread recipe is light and fluffy, and made with a few simple ingredients. Never look for a delicious banana bread again! Love quick breads? Try my Peanut Butter Bread and Apple Praline Bread recipes and if you like Banana cake, try this Blueberry Banana Cake as well.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works?
- Do I need to convince you any further? You only need 4 basic ingredients for this heavenly bread.
- It takes you less than an hour from start to finish to get this bread.
- The texture of this bread is light, fluffy, moist and crumbly.
- Love incorporating bananas in your bakes? Here you go.
- The best solution to work around the dark brown bananas sitting on your dining table.
- By using the overripe bananas you will avoid food waste and be good to the environment.
- Use this delicious banana bread recipe as an afternoon snack or with a cup of coffee.
- This moist banana bread is the best solution to all your banana bread cravings. Use the leftover banana bread later.
- This banana bread tastes just amazing.
Overripe Bananas
Who doesn't like bananas? But they come with a relatively shorter shelf life and can develop brown spots rather quickly. For me the easiest and best way to use overripe bananas is to make a warm banana bread. Let's dive a little deep into why bananas ripe and turn brown and is it safe to consume dark brown bananas?
Why bananas turn brown? Because of a chemical reaction of ethylene gas (a plant hormone) and polyphenol oxidase (an enzyme responsible for oxidation).
Is it safe to eat dark brown or black bananas? The overripe bananas are perfect to eat and have more flavor and aroma than the yellow bananas. Interestingly brown bananas are more nutritious as well. They have high antioxidant and Vitamin C levels. In short, until and unless you see a mold developed on a banana, feel free to consume it.
Can we freeze extra banana or bananas? Yes, for sure. The brown bananas can keep for 2 – 3 days at room temperature or up to 10 days in the fridge. You can freeze them for up to 2 months.
Note: I used frozen bananas for this recipe.
Mayonnaise - The Secret Ingredient
Mayonnaise is the secret ingredient of this banana bread. In traditional baking eggs and oil are used to provide structure to the bakes. Mayonnaise technically does the same thing; as it gives volume and also acts as a leavening agent (mayonnaise is essentially oil and eggs). Oil gives moisture and tenderness, and eggs help with emulsification and thickening of the bread. Vinegar acts as a kicker to intensify the flavor and to cut on the sweetness.
Because of these qualities mayonnaise is the perfect ingredient to use in this fluffy banana bread using an easy way. You do not need large eggs or baking soda or vegetable oil or melted butter for this recipe. All of them are combined in one simple ingredient - mayonnaise.
Adding mayonnaise to the bakes is one of my favorite ways to create great bakes. Try my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, it is just amazing cake and I am confident it will convince you to incorporate mayonnaise in your bakes. Best thing is mayonnaise is readily available in most of the houses.
Ingredients
Pro Tip # 1 - Room Temperature Ingredients
Always use room temperature ingredients (unless otherwise specified) for baking. Ingredients such as butter, eggs and other dairy ingredients like milk, sour cream, yogurt form an emulsion by trapping air inside the batter. The trapped air expands in the oven resulting in perfect baked treats.
- Overripe Bananas - Always use overripe bananas. The starch in bananas convert to sugar during the ripening process that make them sweet and flavorful. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the bananas.
- Castor/White Sugar - Use the regular castor sugar to sweeten the cake.
- Mayonnaise - I use the regular store-bought mayonnaise. Use full-fat mayonnaise for this bread.
- Self Raising Flour - It is important to use self-raising flour for this bread to give it volume and height. (Check above how to make your own self-raising flour).
Make Self Raising Flour: Add one cup of all-purpose flour and 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder in a bowl and whisk.
Note: If you are using frozen bananas, thaw them first until they reach at room temperature as you want to mash the bananas fully almost like puree for this recipe.
Pro Tip # 2 - Digital Scale
Use a digital scale to measure all-purpose flour and other dry ingredients. To measure with cup, fluff up the all-purpose flour container using a spoon, then scoop out the flour with spoon into the measuring cup. Never scoop out of the container. It may result in more flour than required resulting in dense bakes.
Instructions
These are basic process shots for this recipe. For detailed instructions refer to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
1. Take a bowl and whisk together mashed bananas and mayonnaise. You may use a food process but I used a hand whisk.
2. Add sugar and whisk until incorporated.
3. Add the self-rising flour into the wet ingredients.
4. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
5. Pour the mixture in the 9 x 5 inch tin.
6. Bake at 350 F for 50 - 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Equipment
- 9 x 5 baking pan.
- Large mixing bowl.
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Digital scale.
- Measuring cups and spoons.
- Wire rack.
- Parchment paper.
- Baking/cooking spray.
Substitutions
- Light brown sugar: Use light brown sugar in place of castor sugar in 1:1 ratio. The molasses and the caramel flavor work so well in the banana mixture. For best results add light or dark brown sugar in the mashed bananas.
Variations
- Nuts: If you like nuts, add ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans in the batter.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: If you are a chocolate lover, feel free to add ½ cup of dark chocolate chips/morsels into the batter and enjoy the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
- Cinnamon Powder: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder for more flavor.
- Cream Cheese Frosting: Garnish the banana bread slices or the loaf of banana bread with cream cheese frosting.
Expert Tips
Overripe Bananas: Make sure to use overripe bananas for this recipe as it will result in moist and tender crumb.
Self-rising Flour: Use self-rising flour for this bread. Do not substitute it with all-purpose flour. (Use the method explained above to make self-rising flour yourself in case you do not have self-rising flour in your pantry.)
Frequently Asked Questions
No, you will never guess if there was a slight hint of mayonnaise in the bread.
Yes you can. Feel free to use the wholewheat flour, all-purpose flour or spelt flour. In case you are using a different flour, just make sure to add 3 teaspoons of baking powder.
No worries - just spread the yellow bananas in a baking tray over silicone mats. Place the tray in the oven at 350 F for about 15 minutes and take them out once they are dark brown or black in color. Peel them and use them in the recipe.
How to Store
- The simple 4-ingredient banana bread recipe will do well in an air-tight container for up to 2 days.
- The bread will keep fresh for in an airtight container for 3 -4 days in the refrigerato.e.
- Wrap each bread piece in plastic wrap and further add a layer of foil. Stash it in a Zip-loc bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
Super Quick & Easy 4-Ingredients Banana Bread
Equipment
- Bowl
- Whisk
- 9 x 5 inch pan
- Rubber Spatula
- Digital Scale
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed bananas (300 g) (about 3 medium sized bananas)
- 1 cup mayonnaise (230 g)
- ¾ cup castor sugar (170 g)
- 2 cup self-rising flour (240 g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5 pan and set it aside. You can spray or line your pan with a parchment paper as well for easy removal from the pan.
- Take a medium sized bowl and sift the self-rising flour. Whisk and set aside.
- In another medium sized bowl mash the bananas.
- Add sugar to the bananas and mix until combined.
- Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 50 minutes until the bread is golden brown in color. Insert a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Let the bread sit in the pan for 5 - 10 minutes before shifting it to a wire rack to cool completely.
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