Bread Machine Banana Bread (Classic Version)

This bread machine banana bread recipe helps you to easily create a delicious banana bread… just like Grandma’s! Also since you are using a bread machine, you will be doing a ton less work than Grandma did when she made her traditional banana bread. Your family will love this easy banana bread recipe.

Sliced Bread Machine Banana Bread

Recipe Sections

1. Ingredients
2. Instructions
3. Recipe Video
4. Helpful Tips

Recipe Rating 4.82 from 506 votes Featured Comment Keisha “I made this recipe yesterday and followed the directions completely. I’m new to making anything in my bread machine. I was very worried about it coming out right. Yet it turned out perfectly. The best banana bread I have ever eaten. Everyone who has tried it has raved about it and wants the recipe.”

The key to great banana bread is… RIPE bananas!!! If you use bananas that are hard & yellow or even worse green, they will contain too much starch and not enough natural sugars. As bananas ripen, they convert this starch into sugar. According to Wikipedia, “The greener, less ripe bananas contain higher levels of starch and, consequently, have a “starchier” taste. On the other hand, yellow bananas taste sweeter due to higher sugar concentrations”. FYI – You will know if a banana is ripe when it is soft and shows lots of small brown & black spots on the yellow exterior of the banana.

Bread Machine Banana Bread – Cooling On Wire Cooling Rack

In case you are having trouble making bread machine banana bread, there is also a “how to” recipe video below (so you can see all of the steps used in this recipe). Once you have mastered how to make “plain” bread machine banana bread, you can experiment by adding other ingredients such as chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, blueberries, cranberries, etc.

FYI – If you have a small compact bread machine, you might like to try my recipe for 1 lb and 1.5 lb Bread Machine Banana Breads. The 2 lb version below is too big for many small bread machines.

Ingredients – Bread Machine Banana Bread Recipe – 2 lb Loaf

• 3 – Bananas (ripe & MEDIUM-sized bananas) – 230 grams – For the best results, you should use EXACTLY 1 cup of mashed bananas.
• 8 Tablespoons – Unsalted Butter (softened) – 115 grams – Instead of the butter, you can replace it with 1/2 cup of a neutral-flavored vegetable oil (such as corn oil).
• 2 – Eggs (lightly beaten) – 114 grams – Use large eggs (not extra large or jumbo eggs)
• 1 Teaspoon – Vanilla Extract – 5 milliliters
• 1 Cup – Light Brown Sugar (packed cup) – 215 grams – Use 3/4 cup of light brown sugar if you prefer less sweet banana breads.
• 2 Cups – All Purpose Flour – 280 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Soda – 5 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Baking Powder – 4 grams
• 1/2 Teaspoon – Salt – 3 grams
• 1 Teaspoon – Ground Cinnamon – 3 grams – Some people really like to add cinnamon, especially if their bananas are not super ripe.
• Optional – 1/2 Cup – Chopped Walnuts or Mini Chocolate Chips – Read the tips section below for more information on how to successfully add “extras” such as nuts, chocolate, blueberries, etc.

Servings – Approximately 12 slices

Equipment Needed – Measuring cup & spoons, soft flexible spatula, oven mitts, wire cooling rack… and of course, a bread machine!

Video – How To Make Bread Machine Banana Bread

FYI – A short ad might play in front of the recipe video.

Key Ingredient – RIPE Bananas

Instructions – Bread Machine Banana Bread Recipe

• Total Machine Time – approximately 1:40 hours. FYI – The machine will spend roughly 20 minutes mixing and 1:20 hours baking.
• Bread Machine Settings – Quick Bread/Cake, Light Color, 2 lb
• Beat the eggs.
• Mash bananas with a fork.
• Soften the butter in a microwave. FYI – I like to partially melt my butter for better “mixability”.
• Add the mashed bananas, butter, eggs & vanilla extract into the bread pan and then add the other ingredients. Try to follow the order of the ingredients listed above so that liquid ingredients are placed in the bread pan first and the dry ingredients second. Be aware that the bread pan should be removed from the bread machine before you start to add any ingredients. This helps to avoid spilling any material inside the bread machine. The bread machine should always be unplugged when removing the bread pan.
• Put the bread pan (with all of the ingredients) back into the bread machine, close the bread machine lid and then plug in the bread machine.
• Enter the bread machine settings (Quick Bread/Cake, Light Color) and press the start button. FYI – Before making this recipe, please READ the tips section below for more information regarding the sweet quick bread setting used to make banana breads. On your machine, this setting might be called “quick bread”, “quick bread/cake”, “cake”, etc. However, some manufacturers use the “quick bread” setting for rapid sandwich-type breads that use yeast (and not for quick breads such as banana bread that use baking powder/soda). Therefore, this setting can be very confusing… but the tips section below will help you to find the right setting to use on your machine. You need to enter the correct banana bread setting used by your SPECIFIC bread machine model or the banana bread could be under or overcooked.
• Optional – If you want to add chopped walnuts or mini chocolate chips to enhance your bread machine banana bread, please add them after the first bread machine mixing cycle and before the second mixing (final mixing). FYI – If your bread machine only has one mixing cycle and it does not beep/signal when to add extra chips/nuts, you should add them about 8 to 10 minutes after the machine has started.
• When the bread machine has finished baking the bread, unplug the bread machine, remove the bread pan and place it on a wooden cutting board. Use oven mitts when removing the bread pan because it will be very hot!
• After removing the bread pan from the bread machine, you should let the banana bread stay within the warm bread pan on a wooden cutting board for 10 minutes (as this finishes the baking process) before you remove the banana bread from the bread pan. Wear oven mitts.
• After the 10 minute “cooldown”, you should remove the banana bread from the bread pan and place the banana bread on a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Use oven mitts when removing the bread.
• You should allow the banana bread to completely cool before cutting. This can take up to 2 hours. Otherwise, the banana bread will break (crumble) more easily when cut.
• Please READ the tips section below for extra information on how to make this recipe successfully and to avoid common bread machine problems with moister “quick bread” recipes such as banana bread.
• You also can watch my recipe video to “see” how to perform each recipe step.

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“Nutty” Version – Bread Machine Banana Nut Bread

Tips – Bread Machine Banana Bread Recipe

• The tips below are designed to help bread machine “novices” and those who haven’t touched their bread machine in years. However, if you are an experienced bread machine user who has made many “quick breads” with your bread machine… then you probably know many of these tips.
• 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 my tips section. Please read the tips section in order to avoid common recipe problems.
• If you would rather “see” how this recipe is made, please watch the step-by-step recipe video on this page. It is a short & simple video that shows you how to make this recipe.
• The recipe is part of Bread Dad’s series on easy Bread Machine Recipes such as extra soft white bread, cinnamon raisin bread and French bread.

• Warning – The number 1 error that people make when creating a bread machine banana bread is using the WRONG setting. The people who have a problem often use the “quick” or “quick bread” setting designed for fast/express sandwich bread recipes that use yeast… and NOT the “quick bread” or “cake” setting designed for moist quick breads (e.g. banana bread & pumpkin bread) that use baking soda/powder. These are two totally different settings with different mixing & baking lengths. You need to find the correct baking soda/powder “quick bread” setting used with YOUR specific make & model of bread machine. FYI – To avoid this error, please read the setting tips lower down in the tips section & read your machine manual.
• FYI – To more easily find the “quick bread/cake” setting names used by some of the most popular bread machines, you should visit my Bread Machine Quick Bread Settings page. I set this up to help people find the correct banana bread setting for their particular machine.
• Another common error – Not using RIPE bananas. Banana bread made with unripe bananas tastes very bland! Ripe bananas are soft and the yellow peel has many small brown/black spots. Also use exactly 1 cup of mashed RIPE bananas for the best & most consistent results when making this recipe (because bananas vary in size).
• Another common error – Not premixing or scraping the sides of the bread pan. If you do not premix/scrape, you are very likely to have flour stuck to the sides of the bread pan and banana bread. For more information, read the premixing/scraping tips lower down on the page.
• Another common error – Making a banana bread that is too big for your specific bread machine. If you do, the banana bread will come out underbaked. For example, some bread machines (e.g. the KBS 19-in-1 bread machine model # MBF-016) are better off making MY 1.5 lb banana bread (as they will underbake MY 2 lb banana bread). Moreover, if you have a small/mini bread machine, you should experiment with my 1 lb banana bread recipe.

• Visitors – In the comments section below, please tell me if you added any extra ingredients (e.g. chocolate chips, dried fruit, chopped walnuts and/or spices) to make your banana bread even better or more unique. Your baking suggestions & recipe variations are a great help to beginning bakers. Thank you!
• Also further down in this tips section, you will find lots of information on how to successfully add extra ingredients such as chopped walnuts, fresh blueberries, mini chocolate chips, etc. This will help you to avoid some potential bread machine problems.
• Visitor variations – Tracey “added sultanas and dates”, Pamela made this banana bread with “nutmeg, cinnamon, chopped walnuts and chopped dates”, Deb likes it with “chocolate chips and walnuts”, Steve likes to enhance the flavor with “banana extract”, Stili likes to use “dark brown sugar instead of light and I swap out 1/2 cup of flour for 1/2 cup of ground flax”, Barbara likes to “add walnuts and cranberries to the recipe”, Lynn creates a more “tropical” banana bread by adding “½ cup of shredded unsweetened coconut”, Stacia converted my recipe and “Made this vegan and it was amazing! I used sprouted grain flour, coconut sugar, coconut oil, instead of butter, and made Chia egg”, etc.
• In the comments below, Nan stated that she used my recipe to create a delicious sweet potato bread. She “substituted 1 cup of mashed sweet potatoes for the bananas in your recipe. I decreased the amount of brown sugar and added some ginger and nutmeg. I also added some dried currents and chopped walnuts”.

• SORRY THE TIPS SECTION IS SO LONG & that the recipe instructions are probably overly detailed… BUT… many bread machines differ and I want to help everyone to maximize their banana bread “success” with their specific bread machine model!
• BEFORE making this recipe, please read the tips below especially the section focused on the sweet “quick bread/cake” setting (roughly in the middle of the tips) because bread machines vary & require you to be knowledgeable about your specific bread machine model when making a banana bread. For example, if you do not use the correct setting, you will have trouble with bread machine recipes (e.g. your banana bread may be potentially under or overcooked). The setting name used for banana breads differs on many bread machine models and may be called “Quick”, “Quick Bread”, “Cake”, “Cake/Quick Bread”, etc. Therefore, you need to determine the specific setting on your bread machine model (READ YOUR MANUAL) that was designed for sweet quick bread recipes (e.g. banana bread) that use baking soda/powder and not yeast. I know that this can be confusing… but the “sweet quick bread” tips section below will help you to find the right setting to use on your machine.
• IMPORTANT – If your machine’s electronic display is showing 50-60 minutes (total time for mixing & baking) before you press the “start” button, you have entered the WRONG setting. The total time should be roughly 1:40-1:55 hours (100-115 minutes). Moreover, the baking length of the “quick bread” setting is roughly 1:10-1:20 hours (out of the total 1:40-1:55 minutes for this setting). Yeast breads spend a long time on kneading/rising and much less on baking (where as moist quick breads spend only a short time on rising – as they are using fast rising baking powder/soda – and a long time on baking). Therefore, a 1:55 hour yeast bread setting will NOT work for a 1:55 hour moist “quick bread” setting.
• FYI – The “Quick” setting (used for banana bread & pumpkin bread) on my Hamilton Beach (model # 29882) lasts for a total time of 1:40 hours (with 20 minutes of mixing and 1:20 hours of baking).

• Sweet “Quick Bread” Setting Details – According to Wikipedia and most bakers, banana bread is a type of “quick bread” (that uses baking soda/powder instead of yeast). Unfortunately, this term (quick bread) has led to a lot of confusion because bread machine manufacturers often use similar setting names to make rapid/express/quick sandwich-type breads (with yeast) as well as completely different dessert-type quick breads (e.g. banana bread) with baking powder/soda.
• IMPORTANT – Make sure to use the specific setting on your bread machine designed for SWEET QUICK BREADS/CAKES. Read your manual! This setting is for sweet quick bread recipes (e.g. banana bread or pumpkin bread) that use baking soda/powder (and not yeast).
• Be aware that the setting name used for banana bread recipes can VARY by bread machine manufacturer. Here are some examples of the setting names used to make banana bread on various bread machines – the Sunbeam Breadmaker 5891 uses the “Quick” setting, the Hamilton Beach Bread Maker 29881 uses the “Quick” setting, the Black & Decker BOOONJBYXO Bread Maker uses the “Quick Bread” setting, the Breadman 2lb. Professional Bread Maker (BK1050S) uses the “Quick Bread” setting, the Zojirushi BB-PAC20 Bread Maker uses the “Cake” setting and the Cuisinart CBK-100 Bread Maker uses the “Cake/Quick Bread” setting. Therefore, you must check your bread machine’s instructions for the exact setting name used to make banana bread by your specific bread machine model.
• This recipe will NOT work in smaller bread machines that have only 1 lb loaf capacities.

• Be aware that some bread machine models (especially older models & more basic bread makers) have only a limited number of settings and may NOT have a setting that can be used for sweet quick breads (e.g. banana bread). These bread machines are primarily focused on making sandwich-type breads & yeast-based dough (and not baking powder/soda recipes). For example, the Oster Expressbake Breadmaker, 2-lb. Loaf Capacity (model CKSTBRTW20NP) does not have a setting for banana breads (the “sweet” and “quick” settings on this model are used for yeast-based breads). However, other Oster models do have a quick bread/cake setting. In addition, the Breadman TR444 does not have a setting for quick breads but some of the more advanced Breadman bread machines such as the Breadman 2lb. Professional Bread Maker (model BK1050S) do have a quick bread setting. Always read your bread machine manual carefully in order to see if your specific bread machine model can make banana bread-type “quick breads” that use baking powder/soda (and NOT yeast). Check the setting and recipe sections of the manual for definitive examples.
• If your bread machine can’t make banana breads, you might like to try one of my oven-baked Banana Bread Recipes.

• Don’t be fooled by setting names like Rapid Bread or Express Bread (as these settings are often used for very rapid baking of yeast-based sandwich breads and are not used for sweet quick breads that use baking powder/soda). These express settings will leave your banana bread undercooked. For example, on my Sunbeam, the sweet quick bread setting lasts for roughly 1:40 hours versus the express setting which lasts for only 58 minutes.
• IMPORTANT – Be aware that some bread machine manufacturers even label the rapid/express sandwich bread setting as “Quick Bread”. This can cause a lot of confusion!! because they use the “quick bread” name in order to describe a setting that makes a rapid sandwich-type bread with yeast. This setting is not used to make a sweet quick bread recipe (such as banana bread) that uses baking powder/soda. In general, a setting used for yeast breads can’t be used to make quick bread recipes (such as banana bread) due to different rising & baking lengths.
• Moreover, in many bread machines, the “sweet bread” setting is used for sweet breads that use YEAST (not banana breads that use baking soda/powder). “Sweet bread” recipes are different from sweet quick bread recipes (e.g. banana bread) and utilize different rising & baking times. Therefore, a bread machine banana bread recipe is unlikely to work on the “sweet bread” setting.

• If you are still having trouble finding the sweet quick bread setting, check your bread machine manual for details regarding the “Cake” setting on your machine. Some bread machines have a cake setting that states that they can be used for banana breads & sweet quick breads (and the mixing & baking will last roughly for 1 hour 40-50 minutes). However, other bread machines have a cake setting that is not designed for sweet quick breads. For example, my bread machine (Sunbeam) has a cake setting (that lasts for 2 hours 50 minutes) and a “Quick” (used for quick breads such as banana bread) setting (that lasts for roughly 1 hour 40 minutes). Therefore, this banana bread recipe would probably not work well with the cake setting on my machine.
• FYI – A couple of visitors have mentioned that their Pohl machines can occasionally underbake moist banana breads & quick breads (no yeast). As a solution, these visitors like to premix the batter and then use the “bake” setting (not cake setting) to create a longer baking time (versus relying on the preset cake setting) in order to fully bake their banana bread. Given this issue, please read the Pohl manual carefully on how to make banana breads & quick breads with your specific machine.

• On my old Sunbeam bread machine (and a number of other bread makers e.g. Hamilton Beach), the sweet quick bread setting lasts for roughly 1:40 hours… with 20 minutes of mixing & 80 minutes in the baking stage. On my current Hamilton Beach bread machine, the quick bread setting (setting 4) lasts for 1:40 hours (7 minutes first mixing/kneading, 5 minutes rise, 8 minutes second mixing/kneading & 80 minutes baking).
• Be aware that older and newer models from the same manufacturer can even use different setting names. Therefore, you need to read the manual included with your specific model in order to determine the correct setting used by your bread machine. Don’t guess with settings or assume that the setting used by a similar model from your bread machine manufacturer is the same as the setting used by your model.
• I know this can be super confusing… but always read your bread machine manual and look for the specific setting designed for banana breads & sweet quick breads (that use baking soda/powder and have lots of sugar & butter/oil in the recipe).
• If you have lost your bread machine manual, you can usually find it by searching online. For example, I can find my manual by typing “Sunbeam bread machine manual” into Google.
• Many bread machine manufacturers also have recipe booklets where you can also find more information on how to make a banana bread with your specific bread machine model. These manufacturer recipes can also help if you are still uncertain on what bread machine setting to use.

• Use RIPE bananas for the best results. If you use unripe green or hard yellow bananas, your banana bread will be bland or lack a lot of banana flavor. Unripe bananas have more starch and less sugar than ripe bananas. The natural sweetness of ripe bananas works best when making banana bread recipes. Ripe bananas are soft and have many small brown & black spots on the exterior of the yellow banana peel.
• FYI – A beautiful pure yellow banana (without any spots) is not fully ripe!!
• Use 3 MEDIUM-sized bananas. The use of 3 large bananas can make the mixture too wet and your banana bread could come out undercooked. In case, you like to use cup measurements versus banana “sizes”… 3 medium-sized bananas equal roughly 1 cup of mashed bananas (not sliced bananas).
• For the BEST & most consistent results, you should use exactly 1 cup of mashed bananas. Measure the mashed bananas with a measuring cup. The use of 1 cup of mashed bananas will save you from a banana bread that is too dry or too wet. Results are less consistent if you use 3 bananas (versus 1 cup of mashed bananas) due to variations in the size of bananas.
• Mash the ripe bananas with a fork before adding them to the bread pan. Ripe bananas are soft and are very easy to mash. However, most bread machine paddles/mixers will not mash large banana chunks properly (just stirs them around). The banana bread will not come out correctly if you have not mashed the bananas by hand. Thanks Tom for pointing out the problem with large chunks!

• Optional – Try adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon if you do not have super ripe bananas. The cinnamon flavor helps cover up the missing banana taste. As you know, riper bananas have more flavor.
• Light brown sugar gives this banana bread a slightly richer & deeper flavor. However, do not use DARK brown sugar (unless you really like dark brown sugar) because this type of sugar may overpower the banana flavor. FYI – Light brown sugar contains roughly 50% less molasses than dark brown sugar. For more information on these two types of brown sugars, you might like to read this Wikipedia article.
• Optional – If you do not have light brown sugar or your family doesn’t like the taste of light brown sugar (which provides a mild caramel-like flavor), you can use white granulated sugar.

• Optional – If you want to make bread machine banana nut bread, you can add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or chopped pecans to this recipe after the first bread machine mixing cycle and before the second mixing (final mixing). I like to add the chopped walnuts/pecans after the first mixing and before the final (second) mixing in order to minimize any mixing “breakage” of the chopped walnuts. If your bread machine doesn’t have a second mixing cycle (or it doesn’t beep to tell you when to add chopped walnuts), you should add the chopped walnuts about 8 to 10 minutes after the machine has started.
• FYI – I like to break the chopped walnuts into tiny bits in order to get better walnut “dispersion”. It helps to distribute them more evenly in the banana bread. This results in the slices having lots of walnut bits (versus each slice just having a few large walnut chunks).
• You can also visit my Bread Machine Banana Nut Bread page for more tips & a recipe video. FYI – My bread machine banana nut bread recipe uses 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts because I wanted it to be a “nuttier” banana nut bread (versus the 1/2 cup option on this page).
• Visitors – What nuts do you add your bread maker banana bread? Chopped walnuts? Chopped pecans? Sliced almonds? Other? Please post your nut suggestions in the comment section below.

• Optional – You can also turn this recipe into chocolate chip banana bread. To make bread machine chocolate chip banana bread, you should add 1/2 of a cup of MINI semi-sweet chocolate chips after the first mixing is finished and before the second/final mixing has started. If your bread machine doesn’t have a second mixing cycle (or it doesn’t beep to tell you when to add chopped walnuts), you should add the mini chocolate chips about 8 to 10 minutes after the machine has started.
• FYI – I prefer to use mini chocolate chips for this bread machine banana bread recipe because they “float” better in the batter than heavier regular-sized chocolate chips. Regular chocolate chips often sink to the bottom of the banana bread (whereas smaller & lighter mini chocolate chips are more evenly distributed throughout the banana bread).
• Visitors – Do you like to use mini chocolate chips or regular-sized chocolate chips to make your bread machine banana bread? Please post your chocolate chip preferences in the comment section below.

• Optional – To make bread machine blueberry banana bread, you should add 1/2 of a cup of blueberries after the first mixing is finished and before the second/final mixing has started.
• I prefer to use FRESH blueberries because they cause fewer problems in terms of moisture variation. They retain their berry “shell” better than frozen blueberries (so there is less leakage into the batter). Frozen blueberries often burst during the freezing process. These ruptured frozen berries release juice into the batter during the baking process and this can add unplanned for moisture. In turn, this excess moisture can cause the banana bread to be too wet & underbaked.
• If you use frozen blueberries, make sure to wash off any ice crystals surrounding the berries & DRY the frozen blueberries with a paper towel. You don’t want extra moisture being added to the recipe or your banana bread could come out underbaked.
• Optional – You can also use this recipe to make a bread machine cranberry banana bread. Instead of the blueberries listed above, you would use 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries or frozen cranberries. However, it you use frozen cranberries, you need to make sure that no additional ice is added to the batter (as the ice will throw off the liquid-to-dry ingredients ratio of the recipe and result in an underbaked banana bread).
• Optional – You can also use dried cranberries but your bread machine banana bread might come out a little too sweet (as dried cranberries often contain added sugar). Therefore, if you use dried cranberries, you should consider reducing the sugar to 3/4 cup of light brown sugar (versus the 1 cup called for in the recipe).
• However, in my opinion, if you are trying to make blueberry banana bread or cranberry banana bread, you are probably better off with Bread Dad’s recipes for oven-baked Blueberry Banana Bread and Cranberry Banana Bread. The hand mixing involved in oven-baked recipes often helps the berries to be more evenly spread throughout the batter. Bread machines can overmix banana bread recipes and heavier ingredients (e.g. blueberries) often sink to the bottom of the batter.
• Visitors – What fruit do you add to your bread machine banana bread? Fresh or frozen blueberries? Fresh or frozen cranberries? Dried fruit? Please post your fruit ideas in the comment section below.

• Nevertheless, ALWAYS follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific bread machine on how and when to safely add ingredients such as blueberries, nuts or chocolate chips once a bread machine is turned on.
• FYI – Some bread machines come with an automatic fruit & nut dispenser and this unit adds the fruit/nuts at the right time for those specific machines. Other bread machines will beep when it is time to add chocolate chips, fruit or nuts. Check your bread machine manual for further details.

• You should use large eggs (and not extra large or jumbo) in order to make this recipe. If you use extra large or jumbo eggs, you will be adding extra moisture and your banana bread might come out underbaked. FYI – In the USA, they sell different-sized eggs which are usually labelled as large, extra large or jumbo.
• Optional – If you do not have eggs or can’t eat eggs, you can replace the 2 eggs in this recipe with 1/2 cup of plain unsweetened applesauce. Applesauce is relatively inexpensive (versus expensive commercial/branded egg substitutes), readily available in most supermarkets (no searching for little used ingredients), naturally sweet and low fat.
• Instead of applesauce, some of my visitors like to use “flax eggs“. To make a flax egg (which replaces roughly 1 large chicken egg), you just need to mix together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed (not whole flax seeds) and 3 tablespoons of water. After mixing them together, you need to let this mixture sit for about 7-10 minutes (as the mixture will slowly thicken and become jelly-like).
• Therefore, for this recipe, you would double everything in order to make 2 flax eggs. You would use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 6 tablespoons of water.
• Visitors – What egg substitute do you like to use when making banana bread? Please post your egg replacement ideas & suggestions in the comment section below.

• 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.
• Ingredients such as flour & sugar should be stored in airtight containers in order to avoid contamination from moisture (in the air), dust, pests, etc.
• Flour (when stored in an open bag and not in an airtight container) can absorb a lot of moisture from the air. This extra moisture throws off recipes and can lead to underbaked banana breads, banana breads “soups”, etc.
• If your family doesn’t eat butter (e.g. allergic to dairy), you can replace the butter in the recipe with 1/2 cup of a neutral-flavored vegetable oil (such as corn oil or light/mild olive oil). FYI – Vegetable oil will make the banana bread taster moister (as vegetable oil is a liquid at “normal” room temperatures) but you lose the rich flavor of the butter.
• This recipe uses all purpose flour and not bread flour. If you use bread flour to make this recipe, you will get a tougher and more rubbery banana bread. Bread flour is best for sandwich bread recipes. All purpose flour is best for softer “quick breads” that use baking soda/powder (such as banana bread & pumpkin bread) as well as cakes, cookies, etc.

• Flour sticking to the sides of your bread machine banana bread? Unfortunately, bread machines have a harder time mixing moister sweet quick bread recipes (versus drier sandwich bread dough). Therefore, after the first mixing cycle has fully stopped (and before the second & final mixing cycle has begun), I like to scrape the sides of the bread pan with a flexible silicon spatula (not a metal spatula). This loosens any flour that may be sticking to the sides of the bread pan (because a bread machine mixing “paddle” doesn’t quite reach the sides of the bread pan). For safety purposes, I do not scrape the sides of the bread pan when the mixing blade is moving. In addition, people should not stick their hands inside bread machines. Moreover, people should always wear oven mitts when dealing with a bread machine because the bread pan & bread machine interior can get quite hot.
• Nevertheless, ALWAYS follow the instructions included in the manufacturer’s manual for your specific bread machine in order to safely scrape the inside of your bread pan.
• Some people get around this issue by PREMIXING their ingredients. They will first mix all of the ingredients by hand in a mixing bowl and then add it to the bread machine bread pan (versus adding all of the ingredients to the bread pan and letting the bread machine mix everything). While this is an extra step, premixing the ingredients greatly reduces the potential for any unwanted small flour “clumps” and/or flour sticking to the sides of the finished banana bread. After hand mixing the ingredients, you should just follow the rest of the recipe instructions (e.g. enter proper bread machine settings and so on). However, always remember to add the ingredients (or hand mixed batter) to the bread pan when the bread pan is out of the bread machine and the bread machine is unplugged.
• If you premix the ingredients, you should consider removing the paddles from the bread pan (while the machine is unplugged and the pan is not in the machine). This will prevent the ingredients from being mixed potentially too much. Overmixing can lead to “gummier” banana breads. You also get the benefit of a much smaller paddle hole in the bottom of the banana bread (only from the paddle “pole”).

• Be careful when removing the banana bread from the bread loaf pan. Banana breads are much softer than sandwich-type bread loaves. Therefore, they can break or “dent” more easily when you remove them from the bread loaf pan. When removing the banana bread from the bread pan, you should also be careful of the movable bread pan handle (because it can swing into the banana bread and cause damage).
• Optional – If the top center of the bread looks too moist when you take it out of the bread machine (or you want to make sure the banana bread is completely cooked), you can try the classic baking “toothpick test”. Gently push a long wooden skewer (or long wooden chopstick) into the center of the bread and see if any batter sticks to the skewer. Make sure to wear oven gloves because the bread pan and bread machine will still be hot. If batter is sticking to the skewer then it hasn’t completely cooked. Place the bread loaf pan back into the still warm bread machine for another 5-10 minutes. After the 5-10 minutes, remove the bread pan and retest the banana bread again with the skewer. FYI – Given variability in banana sizes, banana breads tend to have more moistness variability than many other bread machine recipes (and this can lead to excess moisture and the banana bread being potentially undercooked). Moreover, since most bread machines turn off automatically after a specified time and you can not adjust the baking temperature, they are little less flexible than ovens in dealing with baking “variances”.
• Since a toothpick can be too short, I like to use a long chopstick or wooden skewer when conducting the classic “toothpick” test. Remember always wear oven mitts when dealing with a hot bread pan and bread machine.
• After removing the bread pan from the bread machine (and the banana bread successfully passing the optional skewer test), you need to leave the banana bread in the bread loaf container for 10 minutes after you take it out of the bread machine. Denser & moister quick breads take a little longer for the interior dough to be fully baked.

• If you are looking for more bread machine “quick bread” recipes, please visit Bread Dad’s recipes for Cranberry Orange Bread, Pumpkin Bread, Cornbread (sweet), Gingerbread and Zucchini Bread.
• Or if you are looking for a gluten free recipe, you might like my Bread Machine Gluten Free Banana Bread.
• Or if you are looking for an even moister banana bread, check out my recipe for an oven-baked Super Moist Banana Bread.

• If you have a problem with a banana bread recipe, please make sure that you are following the recipe exactly. You will need to make sure that you are inputting the correct bread machine settings, using the exact ingredient measurements (e.g. don’t eyeball the measurements versus using a measuring cup), using the exact ingredients called for in the recipe (e.g. baking soda/powder versus yeast or all purpose flour versus bread flour), etc. Please don’t “wing” things with recipes unless you are willing to live with your experiments!
• Please read the instructions/manual included with your bread machine in order to use it safely and effectively. Recipe instructions & settings may differ slightly depending on the brand & model of bread machine utilized.
• 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.

• Do not add the optional chopped walnuts if anyone who might eat this baked good has peanut and/or tree nut allergies. Always check friends, family & guests for potential food allergies.
• Always wear oven mitts/gloves when dealing with a bread machine. The bread pan and the rest of the bread machine can get very hot during the baking process. This means that the bread pan and bread machine is likely to be very hot when you attempt to remove a baked good from the bread machine and/or bread pan.
• For more easy bread machine recipes (e.g. white bread, pizza dough, cornbread, French bread, whole wheat bread, etc.), please visit Bread Dad’s main section on Bread Machine Recipes.
• Or for banana bread recipes that are baked in an oven (and not in a bread machine), please visit Bread Dad’s section on Banana Bread Recipes.

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🥖Want to make your bread even better? 1. Explore bread machines that I own & use 2. Essential tools that make baking easier

Questions – Bread Maker Banana Bread

How do you know if a banana is ripe?

A ripe banana is soft and has a yellow exterior (peel) with small brown & black spots. Hard bananas that are unblemished yellow or green in color have not fully ripened yet. Unripe bananas will contain too much starch and not enough natural sugars. Ripe bananas are much sweeter than unripe bananas.

How to store banana bread?

Homemade banana bread will last only 1 or 2 days on the counter (and it will spoil even faster in a hot & humid environment). After baking and when the banana bread is completely cooled, you can store it on the counter in a large resealable plastic bag or an airtight container. You can also place a paper towel around the bread in order to absorb any extra moisture.

For long-term storage, you should freeze the banana bread. It should be completely wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then placed in a resealable plastic bag. Place the wrapped banana bread in the freezer and it should last for several months. FYI – Some people prefer to slice the banana bread first (and then wrap each slice) before freezing because it is easier to thaw out the desired number of slices versus dealing with an entire frozen banana bread loaf.

Luckily, my bread machine banana bread recipe is so delicious, it is likely to be completely eaten within a day. Storage problem solved!

What is the difference between bread machine banana bread and oven-baked banana bread?

Bread machine banana bread generally involves less work & steps than oven-baked banana bread. A bread machine will mix the ingredients for you and bake the banana bread for you in the same machine. In contrast, oven-baked banana bread involves more work & steps (e.g. you will need to mix the ingredients, pour them into a bread pan and move to an oven).

However, oven-baked banana breads are a little more forgiving as you can stir more gently if needed (and thus less crushed fruit or shattered chocolate chips). In addition, oven-baked banana breads will not have a bread machine mixing paddle “hole” in the bottom. For oven-baked banana bread recipes, please visit Bread Dad’s Banana Bread Variations section.

I have lost my bread machine instructions. I am not sure if my bread machine has a sweet quick bread setting. What should I do?

If you have lost or misplaced your bread machine instructions, you should check online. Many bread machine manufacturers have placed their instruction manuals on their websites. Just do a search for your bread machine manufacturer and include the word “instructions” or “manual” (e.g. XYZ bread machine instructions). The online manufacturer instructions should tell you if your bread machine can handle sweet quick bread (e.g. banana bread) recipes.

Is bread machine banana bread a type of sweet quick bread?

Yes. Bread machine banana bread is a sweet quick bread. The term “quick bread” is often used to describe muffin-like desserts made with baking soda and/or baking powder. Quick breads are not sandwich-type breads that use yeast to rise. Other sweet quick bread recipes that use a bread machine include cornbread and pumpkin bread. For additional sweet quick bread recipes, please visit Bread Dad’s Sweet Quick Bread Recipes section.

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Reference Sources

1. Wikipedia, Banana
2. Wikipedia, Bread Machine
3. Wikipedia, Quick Bread

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