Banana Banana Bread (Banana Chunks + Mashed Bananas)

This banana banana bread recipe makes a delicious banana bread with mashed bananas PLUS banana chunks. You are getting bursts of extra banana flavor! The banana chunks are also an easy way to create a more interesting banana bread by adding a different texture to the bread.

Banana Banana Bread Recipe with Banana Chunks & Optional Walnuts

Recipe Sections

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions
3. Helpful Tips

My banana banana bread recipe is fairly easy to make and you can make it with or without nuts (depending on your family’s taste and dietary preferences).

My wife likes my plain banana banana bread (without nuts) because she is a banana fanatic! In contrast, I prefer my banana banana nut bread recipe version (with chopped walnuts or chopped pecans). I think the “crunch” of the nuts compliments the flavor & moistness provided by the banana chunks.

Banana Chunks In A “Plain” (Non-Nut) Banana Banana Bread

My banana banana bread recipe takes me about 10 to 15 minutes to prepare and clean up (excluding the baking time, of course). Please be aware that this is an oven-baked banana bread recipe. It is not made with a bread machine. FYI – You will find a printable and “pin-able” recipe at the bottom of this page.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Cups – Mashed Bananas – 345 grams – For the mashed bananas, you should use soft & ripe bananas.
• 1/2 Cup – Vegetable Oil – 115 milliliters – Use a neutral tasting vegetable oil such as corn, canola or mild olive oil. For more info, see the tips section below.
• 2 – Large Eggs – 114 grams – Large eggs (not extra large or jumbo eggs)
• 1 Cup – Light Brown Sugar (packed cup) – 215 grams
• 2 Cups – All Purpose Flour – 240 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Vanilla Extract – 5 milliliters
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Soda – 5 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Powder – 4 grams
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Salt – 3 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Ground Cinnamon – 3 grams
• 1/2 Cup – Banana Chunks – 60 grams – Do NOT use a super soft banana to make the chucks as they will “melt/disappear” during the baking. Chunks should be made from a harder & slightly less ripe banana. See my tips section below for more info.
• Optional – 1/2 Cup of Chopped Walnuts (or Chopped Pecans) – 58 grams

FYI – This recipe uses 2 types of bananas – soft ripe bananas (peel – yellow with many small black spots) and harder less ripe bananas (peel – yellow with few black spots). Look at the picture below the instructions to “see” the difference between the two types of bananas that I use.

Servings – Roughly 12 slices

Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, mixing bowl, long wooden spoon, 9 by 5 inch metal bread pan, oven mitts, silicon spatula, cooling rack and an oven.

Plain Banana Banana Bread (No Nuts)

Alternative – Banana Banana Nut Bread Recipe

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (163 C).
• Mash the soft ripe bananas with a fork.
• Slice the less ripe bananas into chunks. FYI – I make my chunks by slicing a banana into roughly 1/2 inch thick slices. And then I cut each slice into 4 equal “chunks”. See tips section for more info.
• Lightly beat eggs.
• Mix mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Stir until completely mixed.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients (except banana chunks). Stir until the batter is fully mixed. FYI – I prefer to use a large spoon to mix the batter. An electric mixer can overmix the batter and this can lead to gummy & rubbery banana breads.
• Gently mix the banana chunks into the batter. FYI – Be gentle as you don’t want to break/mash the chunks.
• Optional – If you want to turn this into a banana banana nut bread recipe, you can stir in a 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans (at the same time you are mixing in the banana chunks).
• Pour the finished batter into a nonstick bread pan. Smooth out the top of the batter within the bread pan.
• Bake in your oven for 65-70 minutes at 325 F (163 C).
• Take out of the oven and let the banana bread cool down inside the bread pan for 10 minutes. Do not remove the banana bread from the bread pan during this 10 minute cool down period. Use oven mitts as the bread pan will be very hot coming out of the oven. FYI – Do not skip this step as the “cool down” completes the baking process.
• After 10 minutes, remove the banana bread from the bread pan. Place the banana bread on a cooling rack in order to completely cool. This cool down may take 1-2 hours.
• Please READ the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully & to avoid common banana bread problems.

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Banana Chunks Being Mixed Into Batter

My Recipe Uses Very Ripe Bananas AND Less Ripe Bananas

Helpful Tips

• The tips below are designed to help banana bread “novices” and/or people with limited baking experience. This no butter banana bread recipe creates a moist banana bread with lots of banana flavor.
• Click on this “print recipe” link if you want to print out this recipe. It includes all of the recipe’s ingredients and instructions. However, the recipe print function does not include our tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• This recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Banana Bread Recipes such as walnut banana bread, Greek yogurt banana bread and blueberry banana bread.

• My recipe requires two types of bananas – soft & very ripe bananas (soft with lots of black spots on yellow peel) to make the mashed bananas and harder & less ripe bananas (peel – yellow with few black spots) to make the banana chunks.
• See the photo above of the two different bananas (ripe & less ripe) that I use to make this banana banana bread.
• Why is your recipe called banana banana bread? Because the term “banana banana” illustrates that it is made with two “types” of bananas. The first “type” of bananas is the banana chunks (which provide bursts of extra banana flavor) and the second “type” is the mashed bananas (which provide banana flavor throughout the entire banana bread). Therefore, this banana banana bread recipe doubles down on the ingredient that we all love most in banana bread… the bananas!!

• My banana banana bread recipe can be a little tricker than many of my other banana bread recipes. You have to be careful with the banana chunks or you could add too much moisture to the bread and/or weaken the structure of the banana bread.
• Size of Banana Chunks – I like to make my banana chunks by slicing a banana into roughly 1/2 inch thick slices. And then I cut each slices into 4 equal “chunks” (see photo above).
• For this recipe, I use roughly 1/2 to 3/4 of a large banana to make the chunks and 3 large bananas to make the mashed bananas. However, since bananas vary in size, please measure the mashed bananas & banana chunks with a measuring cup (or weigh them with a kitchen scale). You want to be exact with the amount of bananas (mashed & chunks) in order to avoid your banana bread being too wet or too dry.

• Soft & ripe bananas are best for the mashed bananas because they have more natural sugar than less ripe bananas (which contain more starch). Less ripe bananas (with yellow peels) are better for the banana chunks because they retain their shape better during the mixing & baking. More details below.
• Warning 1 – Do NOT use super soft & ripe bananas for the banana chunks or they will melt/disappear during the baking. You should try to use a harder & less ripe banana for the chunks (as they will “survive” the baking process better and release less moisture into the batter).
• Moreover, if you use soft ripe chunks (versus less ripe bananas), they will not retain their shape and will release excess moisture into the batter. This excess moisture will cause the banana bread to be too wet and the banana banana bread will come out underbaked and/or with a sinking middle.
• However, do not use hard green bananas to make the chunks or your banana chunks will be very bland and starchy. You are better off using bananas with mainly yellow peels to make your chunks. Yellow bananas are sort of in between unripe hard green bananas and very soft & ripe bananas in terms of sweetness & hardness.

• Warning 2 – Do not cut the banana chunks too small or they will disappear/melt during the baking process. Moreover, this chunk “melting” could add unplanned moisture to the batter and your banana banana bread might come out too wet. You want the chunks large enough so they retain their shape & moisture.
• Warning 3 – Do not make the banana chunks too big or they will hurt the structural integrity of the banana banana loaf. Extra large chunks means some areas will have less batter holding things together & the banana banana bread would be more likely to break in those areas.
• Warning 4 – Do not add too many banana chunks (e.g. a lot more than called for in my recipe) because the extra moisture can throw off the recipe. In addition, lots of chunks can impact/weaken the structural integrity of the banana banana loaf (and more chunks means less batter in certain areas in order to hold the banana bread together).
• Sorry for all of the “warnings”!!! Just trying to help you to avoid any potential banana banana bread problems.

• Optional – You can turn this into banana banana nut bread recipe by adding 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans to the batter (when you add the banana chunks).
• Optional – To add an even nuttier appearance to the banana banana nut bread recipe, you can also sprinkle 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans on top of the batter right before you place the pan in the oven.
• Of course, if you make a banana banana nut bread recipe, you should check for potential nut allergies before serving this banana bread to your guests & family. Do not serve banana banana nut bread to anyone with a nut allergy.
• Optional – Instead of chopped walnuts, you can add 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips… for a chocolaty banana banana bread! I like to use mini chocolate chips in my banana breads because they spread out/float better than regular-sized chocolate chips. I find that regular-sized chocolate chips often sink to the bottom of banana breads.
• Visitors – What additional ingredients do you like to add to this banana banana bread recipe in order to make it more unique or special? Do you add chopped walnuts? Chocolate chips? Extra spices (e.g. cinnamon)? Fruit? Please post your ingredient additions & banana banana loaf suggestions in the comment section below.

• Sugar is “hygroscopic”. This means that sugar helps to retain moisture in baked goods and thus helps to create a moist banana bread. If you replace sugar with sugar-free substitutes, you will impact the moistness of the banana bread.
• Optional – Some of my visitors like to make this recipe with a little less sugar (because they prefer less sweet banana breads). If you prefer LESS SWEET banana breads then you should consider adding only 2/3 to 3/4 cup of sugar (instead of the 1 cup of sugar called for in the recipe).
• Missing some mashed bananas? For example, the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas but you only have 1 1/4 cups of mashed bananas. Solution – You can add some applesauce, Greek yogurt or sour cream to replace the missing 1/4 cup of mashed bananas. Just make sure the combined amount of mashed bananas and applesauce/yogurt/sour cream equals the recipe’s required 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas (and not more). If you don’t offset this missing amount of mashed bananas, your banana bread might come out too dry.
• Applesauce, Greek yogurt, and sour cream are often used as substitutes for mashed bananas in baked goods. Why? Because they have a moisture content and texture that is sort of similar to mashed bananas.

• Use FRESH ingredients (e.g. baking soda and flour) for the best results. For example, if you use stale baking soda and/or baking powder, your banana bread will not rise properly and will be too dense. Baking soda & powder is best if used within 6 months of opening the container. Using baking soda from an open container (that has been deodorizing your refrigerator for months) may lead to subpar results. Old & hard baking soda/powder may lead to rising problems and/or leave small bitter clumps in your banana bread.
• Old flour can affect the taste of banana bread. Old flour can spoil and taste bitter, sour, musty, etc. Banana bread made with old flour does not taste great!
• Try to keep your ingredients (e.g. flour) in airtight food containers in order to extend their shelf life and avoid spoilage (e.g. exposure to moisture, pests and dust).
• Old flour (when not stored in an airtight container) can absorb a lot of moisture from the air. This extra moisture throws off recipes and can lead to banana bread collapses, etc.

• This doesn’t happen often but if the top of the banana bread looks too moist or undercooked, you should try the “toothpick test”. Gently push a wooden toothpick or wooden skewer into the top of the bread and see if any batter sticks to the toothpick. If batter is sticking to the toothpick then it hasn’t completely cooked. Place the bread pan back into the still hot oven for another 3 to 5 minutes. Make sure to wear oven gloves because the bread pan will be very hot. After the 3 to 5 minutes, remove the bread pan and test the banana bread again with a toothpick.
• Instead of the “toothpick test”, some people like to use a bread thermometer to test if their banana bread is done. Generally, a “quick bread” (e.g. banana bread or pumpkin bread) is done when the internal temperature reaches 200-205 degrees F. Just make sure to measure the temperature in the center of the loaf for the most accurate reading.
• My recipe use a slightly lower temperature (and thus a slightly longer baking time) than many of my peers’ banana bread recipes. Why? Because the lower temp results in a softer & more tender banana bread. Moreover, the lower temp reduces the potential for an over-baked crust and/or an overly dry banana bread.

• To prevent your banana bread from sticking to the bottom of the bread pan, you should consider either “greasing” the bottom of the pan with butter or vegetable oil, using a cooking spray, using a nonstick pan or lining the interior of the bread pan with baking parchment paper.
• Baking parchment paper is probably the best solution to prevent sticking (especially if you are using really sticky ingredients such as chocolate chips or fresh cranberries). It also allows you to lift the banana bread out of the pan without disturbing the top of the banana bread… in case you have added any special ingredients (such as chopped nuts or chocolate chips) to the top of the banana bread.
• FYI – Baking parchment paper is NOT regular paper. It is a specialty paper designed for use with baking.

• Do NOT use an electric mixer to mix your ingredients (when combining the wet and dry ingredients). I prefer to use an old fashioned wooden spoon. An electric mixer can easily overmix the ingredients if used too long. Unfortunately, overmixing batter can result in a rubbery & gummy banana bread.
• Make sure that your oven has been completely preheated. If the oven has not been properly preheated, this quick bread could come out undercooked.
• It takes roughly 10-20 minutes to preheat most ovens with some variability due to the size of the oven, planned baking temperature (hotter takes longer), etc.
• If your oven does not have a built-in thermometer, you can buy an inexpensive hanging oven thermometer that you can place inside your oven (in order to correctly gauge the temperature & see if the oven has been preheated to the correct temperature). Moreover, some built-in oven gauges can be 25-50 degrees different than the actual temperature inside the oven. For the best results, you should know the actual temperature inside your oven (as this reduces the potential for over or undercooked baked products).

• In case, you didn’t see this in the “equipment used to make this recipe” section, this recipe is based on using a standard 9 by 5 inch metal bread pan. This means that the interior of the bread pan (not exterior) measures 9 inches in length, 5 inches in width and 2 1/2 inches in depth/height. Of course, Bread Dads are crazy about exact measurements… thus the use of measuring tapes! Ha!
• Please use the suggested 9 x 5 inch bread pan to make this recipe. If you start using different sized pans, there is a greater potential for bread top collapses (potentially less bread pan “wall” support for the quick bread as it rises), different interior batter to exterior bread ratios (thus the need for different baking lengths), smaller pans are more likely to overflow, etc.
• My recipes are based on using a metal bread pan and NOT a glass bread pan. Glass bread pans bake faster than metal bread pans. If you use a glass bread pan for my recipes, you are more likely to overbake your banana bread (e.g. burnt crust).
• My recipes are based on using a regular oven and NOT a convection oven. Convection ovens bake faster than regular ovens and require less baking time than what is stated in my recipes.

• Place your banana bread in the middle of your oven. If you place it on the top or bottom racks, the banana bread may be too near the oven’s heating element and bake faster than expected.
• When making this recipe, many international bakers prefer to use a kitchen scale versus using measuring cups. A kitchen scale provides greater accuracy because the amount of ingredients in a measuring cup can vary somewhat (e.g. a cup of fluffed flour vs a cup of densely packed flour). Therefore, this recipe also includes gram/milliliter measurements.
• Long-term storage – If you want to keep your banana bread for more than 1-2 days (depending on your home’s temperature & humidity), you will need to freeze it. Please read Bread Dad’s How To Freeze Banana Bread for more details.

• Problem with your banana bread sinking in the middle? Then check out my Why Does My Banana Bread Sink In The Middle? page for reasons & potential solutions.
• If you have a problem with a banana bread recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly (e.g. using the correct oven temperature), using the correct amounts of ingredients (e.g. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measuring cup or accidentally add a tablespoon when a teaspoon is called for), using the correct ingredients (e.g. baking soda/powder versus yeast or all purpose flour versus bread flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes.
• Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a hot oven and bread pan.
• For more banana bread ideas (e.g. chocolate chip banana bread, vegan banana bread or blueberry banana bread), please visit Bread Dad’s main Banana Bread Recipes or Quick Bread Recipes sections.

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Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Banana
2. Wikipedia, Banana Bread

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