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Banana Bread

We started with our very favorite homemade banana bread recipe and we made it even more decadent by topping it with sweet, creamy maple mascarpone.

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homemade banana bread topped with thinly sliced bananas and sprinkled with sugar sitting on a cutting board with a knife
Photography by Gayle McLeod

The Best Banana Bread Recipe in the World

Sweet and comforting with just the right hint of “hey, maybe loaf cake is a healthy snack!” This classic banana bread recipe is as homey and wonderful as can be. Full disclosure, we first came across it on allrecipes, and fell in love. It’s so heavy on the bananas—2 ⅓ whole cups of bananas in one loaf of banana bread. Lots of overripe bananas—combined with plenty of butter—ensures a nice, tender, moist banana bread! And while we love this banana bread recipe in its own right, we also couldn’t resist dressing it up just a bit, because we love that extra dose of moisture and richness. If you’re feeling adventurous, this brilliantly simple maple-sweetened mascarpone is banana bread's perfect compliment.

flour, baking soda, salt, butter, brown sugar, eggs, bananas, sugar, mascarpone and maple syrup in bowls to make banana bread
a loaf pan being prepared with butter and flour to bake homemade banana bread
flour, baking soda and salt being whisked together in a mixing bowl
butter, brown sugar and eggs being mixed together in a stand mixer

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The Best Ever Banana Bread Ingredients

This is one truly moist banana bread recipe, and you won’t need anything special to make it. It’s the perfect recipe to have in your back pocket for when you notice that that bunch of bananas on your counter is looking pretty darn brown, because the more overripe your bananas are, the sweeter and more moist your banana loaf will be! Here’s everything you’ll need to make the best banana bread ever:

  • All-purpose flour

  • Baking soda

  • Salt

  • Butter

  • Brown sugar

  • Eggs

  • Overripe bananas

flour, baking soda and salt being poured into the butter, brown sugar and egg mixture for banana bread
banana bread dough that has been mixed together in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment
banana bread dough being poured into a loaf pan that has been prepared with butter and flour
banana bread dough in a prepared loaf pan being topped with thinly sliced bananas and sprinkled with granulated sugar

Let’s Talk About Maple Mascarpone

Frosting is great and all, and there is nothing—repeat, nothing—wrong with spreading some salted butter all over a hot-out-of-the-oven slice of banana bread. But, also, we beg you to consider mascarpone. This creamy Italian cream cheese-ish stuff is just the best. Stir in a bit of real maple syrup and just STOP already. It’s so good. It makes a silky, rich, tangy-sweet topper for thick slices of perfect banana bread. Plus, all you need to make it is:

  • Good-quality maple syrup

  • Mascarpone

maple syrup being poured into a bowl with mascarpone to make maple mascarpone for topping the best homemade banana bread
homemade banana bread topped with thinly sliced bananas and sprinkled with sugar in a loaf pan just out of the oven

How to Make Banana Bread

This easy banana bread recipe will be made much easier if you have a stand mixer, but with a little elbow grease you can make it without. Just be sure your butter is at room temperature, so that you can really be sure it’s creamed together evenly with the sugar and eggs. Here’s how to make this delicious banana bread:

  1. Whisk together your dry ingredients.

  2. Use a stand mixer (or your strongest arm) to beat together the sugar, butter, eggs and bananas.

  3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients but be gentle and stir only until they’re combined! Over-mixing will lead to a leaden loaf instead of the moist, lovely banana bread you want.

  4. Pour into a greased loaf pan.

  5. Top it with thinly sliced banana pieces and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

  6. Bake!

  7. This step is optional but highly recommended. Stir maple into mascarpone and slather it all over a big slice of banana bread.

  8. Then eat up! Call it dessert, call it the greatest afternoon snack ever, or even call it breakfast. Better yet, call it all three!

homemade banana bread topped with thinly sliced bananas and sprinkled with sugar in a loaf pan just out of the oven
a loaf of homemade banana bread topped with banana slices and granulated sugar being sliced with a knife

Go Bananas for Banana Recipes!

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slices of the best homemade banana bread on plates slathered with maple mascarpone and a drizzle of extra maple syrup
slices of the best homemade banana bread on plates slathered with maple mascarpone and a drizzle of extra maple syrup

Is There Anything Better Than Homemade Banana Bread

No. No there isn’t. Particularly when it’s still a little warm and you spoon that luscious maple mascarpone all over it. Yum. Try this banana banana bread recipe, and let us know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

Banana Bread

  • Serves: 6
  • Prep Time:  15 min
  • Cook Time:  1 hr 5 min
  • Calories: 518

Ingredients

  • 1/2 (1 stick) cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas
  • Thinly sliced banana, optional
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 8 ounces mascarpone
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus more for serving

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with butter and dust with flour.

  2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Stir in the eggs and mashed bananas until well incorporated.

  4. To the bowl with the banana mixture, stir in the flour mixture until just moistened. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Top with thinly sliced banana pieces and sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar.

  5. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

  6. In a small bowl, combine the mascarpone and maple syrup.

  7. To serve, cut the bread into slices. Spread each slice with 2 tablespoons maple mascarpone and drizzle with extra maple syrup.

Nutrition Info

  • Per Serving
  • Amount
  • Calories518
  • Protein7 g
  • Carbohydrates85 g
  • Total Fat17 g
  • Dietary Fiber4 g
  • Cholesterol102 mg
  • sodium275 mg
  • Total Sugars46 g

Banana Bread

Questions & Reviews

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  • Katelyn

    How does the recipe change for making it muffins?

    Grease a muffin tin instead and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Will make about 12 muffins. Hope you enjoy Katelyn!

  • Taylor

    Hi! Can brown coconut sugar be substituted for brown sugar?

    Hi Taylor, you can! It will turn out a bit more dense than if using regular brown sugar so just keep that in mind. But it should just be a 1:1 ratio to swap it.

  • Kate

    This banana bread is delicious. I served it at a family dinner and everyone was raving about the maple marscapone. I will definitely be making this again.

    Thanks Kate, we are so glad you and your family loved it!

  • Jenn

    This banana bread is delicious. This band b read with the maple mascarpone is a whole other level of delicious!

    Thanks Jenn, we are so happy you loved it!