This timeless banana bread recipe is the only one you’ll ever need. It’s incredibly moist, has the perfect amount of banana, with hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.
Hi Food Friends! Sorry I’ve been kind of MIA over the last week. I had the awesome opportunity to take photos of a fellow food friend’s recipe. I’ll let y’all know when she uses the photos for her super yummy and healthy recipes!
Then I was busy finishing off this loaf of banana bread.
There’s no doubt this is the best banana bread ever, and it goes waaaay back to when I was oh, probably 11 years old. I’m pretty sure I had always been a fan of banana bread; either that, or this was the day I became the biggest fan ever and I can’t remember life before it.
My mom’s friend (hi, Aisha!) came over with a warm loaf of banana bread and my little 11 year-old mind was blown. Her family recipe quickly became ours.
Isn’t that the best though? I love the timeless recipes that get passed down through the generations because they’re just so OH-MY-GOODNESS-good that they don’t need to be changed.
Needless to say, I’ve been making this banana bread ever since. And friends, that means it’s been a loooong time.
Sometimes I add walnuts to the top, sometimes I don’t. It all depends if you want a little extra crunch.
All the time though, this banana bread is the moistest, yummiest, bananaiest banana bread you’ll ever make. Oh and the hint of cinnamon and nutmeg…PERFECTION. They add such a warmness; it’s like a big hug comin’ from the best banana bread ever.
As is the way with baked goods, please be sure you don’t over bake, or it may not be the moistest banana bread.
What’s your recipe that’s stuck around because it’s just so gosh darn good?
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup shortening, room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 eggs, well beaten
- 1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 2-3 bananas)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Optional: walnuts for topping
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease loaf pan well.
- Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.
- Cream the shortening in a separate bowl. Add the sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs to shortening mixture and beat well until mixture looks creamy.
- Add ¼-1/2 cup of flour mixture, beat together.
- Add a small amount of mashed bananas and beat together.
- Continue alternating between adding a small amount mashed bananas and flour; beat after each addition until smooth. Continue until all ingredients are mixed.
- Stir in cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Pour in loaf pan. Optional: top with walnuts.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until center is cooked through (you can test with a toothpick). I start checking after 40-45 minutes, because you absolutely do not want to overcook the bread!
- Let sit in pan for 5-10 minutes. Remove and let cool on cooling rack until cool enough to cut (I love to eat it warm still, so I can only wait about 15 min. max before cutting into it).
