My favorite recipe for classic banana bread, moist and dense with pecans and a sweet crust, easy to make and simply the best banana bread every time!

Let's start with my usual admission that I don't bake often and don't consider myself a skilled baker. I have a knack for homemade pies, but I'm not good in the cookie or quick bread department, or desserts in general. But I occasionally find myself with too many bananas turning brown or black, gotta do something with 'em.

This has been the case as of late, I buy too much of everything, or worse yet, just random purchases based on what's available that day in the store. So bananas aren't getting eaten fast enough before they are overripe and disgusting to me. Time to make some banana bread.

This is the recipe I always turn to, I tore it out of Saveur magazine about ten years ago and tossed it in a drawer. And it's the recipe I dig in said drawer and search for when I want banana bread like mom would make. It's moist, dense and tender with a sweet crust.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make a recipe:

Butter and flour to grease and prepare the loaf pan. I also often use a cooking spray made for baking that has flour in it, it works really well and I find it easier to use.
Flour, baking soda and salt the dry ingredients.
Sugar, vegetable oil, buttermilk, an egg + an egg yolk and vanilla for the wet ingredients. The oil and buttermilk are essential for moistness, plus the buttermilk adds a little tang.
Three very ripe bananas
Chopped pecans or walnuts.

How to make the best banana bread

Step 1: Mix flour, baking soda and salt in one bowl; whisk oil, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs in another bowl.

Step 2: Pour wet ingredients over dry and mix just to combine. Mix in mashed bananas and pecans.

Step 3: Pour batter into greased and floured pan and bake about an hour. Cool and then slice and serve!

Recipe Notes and Tips

Use very ripe bananas, lots of black spots or almost all black. They mash the best and are the sweetest! And use three!
Buttermilk is key for moistness and adds just a tad of tanginess.
Pecans are classic but walnuts would work, too.
Let cool completely then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store on the counter (do not refrigerate) or freeze. It will keep four or five days on the counter, if it even lasts that long!
Slather with butter for breakfast with a cup of coffee or a snack any time of day.

Easy, classic and most importantly, incredibly moist banana bread for the win. I'm pretty sure this will be your favorite recipe, too. xxo- Kelly🍴🐦

You might also like these breakfast and snack treats:

Pumpkin Praline Bread, moist pumpkin bread with pecan-cinnamon praline topping.
Sour Cream Coffee Cake, classic coffee cake with cinnamon streusel filling and topping.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on PINTEREST, FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM for all the latest updates.