BA's Best Banana Bread
Recipe: https://recipestripper.com/recipes/daf58c0f-2d1d-4efc-8cc3-f0a09cab75c8
Original source: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/banana-bread
Recipe image: https://assets.bonappetit.com/photos/6384f1e03ff810c6f34cb211/16:9/w_3344,h_1881,c_limit/1128-banana-bread-lede.jpg

Our best banana bread recipe has a deep banana flavor, optional walnuts and chocolate chips, and comes out perfectly every single time.
Yield: Makes one 8½x4½" loaf
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes plus cooling

Ingredients
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray
- 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
- 1¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt
- 1 cup (200 g; packed) dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup mascarpone, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 4 large very ripe bananas, peeled, mashed (about 1½ cups)
- ½ cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (optional)
- ½ cup chopped raw walnuts (optional)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly coat an 8½x4½" loaf pan with nonstick vegetable oil spray and line with parchment paper, leaving generous overhang on long sides. Whisk 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour, 1¼ tsp. baking soda, and ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a medium bowl to combine.
2. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat 1 cup (200 g; packed) dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup mascarpone, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream, and 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add 2 large eggs, one at a time, beating to blend after each addition and scraping down sides and bottom of bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
3. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients, and mix until just combined. Add 4 large very ripe bananas, peeled, mashed (about 1½ cups), and mix until just combined. Fold in ½ cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and/or ½ cup chopped raw walnuts if using with spatula. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; smooth top.
4. Bake bread until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 60–65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let bread cool in pan 1 hour. Turn out bread onto rack and let cool completely (if you can resist) before slicing.


Editor’s note: This recipe was first published in December 2021. Head this way for more of our best banana recipes →