Banana bread. The official food of #quarantine2020. I’ve seen a lot of banana bread recipes circulating lately but alas, I have found the best quick and easy, one bowl banana bread recipe! I tried this recipe last week and it was such a hit in our house, it literally disappeared in less than 24 hours. It honestly didn’t stand a chance. It is seriously so good, I plan on making another loaf in the morning. It’s perfect with a cup of coffee! This recipe is sure to be a hit in your house too. Read on for the best quick and easy banana bread recipe that will have your mouth watering the minute you smell it in the oven.
You can whip everything up using just one bowl and a spoon. No mixer needed! This recipe is from Simply Recipes but I made a few changes.
Here’s what you will need:
- 2 to 3 very ripe bananas, peeled (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups mashed)
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I didn’t have any vanilla extract so I used almond extract instead. If you use vanilla, up the amount to 1 teaspoon)
- 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1 banana, sliced, for topping (optional)
Preheat your oven to 350°F and butter a 4×8 inch loaf pan–or whatever you have on hand. I used a 9×5 loaf pan.
In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir melted butter into the mashed bananas.
Mix in baking soda and salt. Stir in sugar, beaten egg and almond extract (or vanilla extract). Mix in the flour.
Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on your oven) or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. I checked mine at 45 minutes and it was perfect.
Remove from oven and cool in the pan for a few minutes. Remove banana bread from loaf pan and let cool completely before serving. Slice, serve and enjoy!
Looking for more easy recipes to try during this COVID-19 quarantine, here are two more favorites: