Banana bread recipe | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

FAQs

Does Ina Garten have a banana bread recipe? ›

Whether you're an avid Barefoot Contessa viewer or not, Ina Garten's banana bread is legendary. In fact, it's so popular, it's in three of her cookbooks!

Stages of Ripening

Green bananas are mostly starch, and brown ones are mostly sugar. In fact, very ripe bananas with black or brown spots on their peel work best for banana bread, as they pack a robust sweetness that enhances the flavor of the bread and means you can use less sugar. They are also great in smoothies!

What to do if you've used too many bananas. If you must add an extra banana into your batter, there are ways to prevent the bread from turning mushy. Using a lot of bananas adds excess moisture, and there are two ways to get rid of it. You could either add more flour or increase the baking time.

– Overnight Rest: Resting the banana bread batter overnight significantly changed its texture for the better. The rest allowed the flour to completely hydrate and the starches to begin gelling, which helps retain moisture during and after baking.

Teigen says to bake for 55-60 minutes. After 55 minutes, my banana bread was definitely still batter.

Baking soda: Baking soda acts as a leavener, which means it helps the banana bread rise. Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the overall flavor, but it won't make the loaf taste salty.\

As it sits at room temperature, starches convert to sugars, making the fruit sweeter and softer. These brown spots, often seen as a sign of spoilage, are actually a dead giveaway of peak banana bread potential. But, there is a limit. Black bananas or rotten bananas are a no-go.

While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten. Another sign that bananas have gone bad is if they start leaking any fluids. When in doubt, just toss the bananas out.

Yes, dogs can eat bananas. In moderation, bananas are a great low-calorie treat for dogs. They're high in potassium, vitamins, biotin, fiber, and copper. They are low in cholesterol and sodium, but because of their high sugar content, bananas should be given as a treat, not part of your dog's main diet.

Adding more eggs makes for a spongy, less flavorful banana bread. Doubling the number of eggs I was using resulted in a spongy cake with a moist texture. While the banana flavor was present, it wasn't as prominent as it was in other loaves. This had more of a hint of flavor.

Why is my banana bread bad? ›

You Measure Flour the Wrong Way

Moisture is key when it comes to banana bread, and the ratio of flour to banana makes all the difference. If you use too much flour, you'll end up with dry bread. If you don't use enough, your bread will be too wet. The secret is actually in how you measure the flour.

Desserts may not be a part of your everyday diet. Instead, they are meant to be enjoyed as an occasional treat. If you eat sweet desserts, such as banana bread, too frequently, you may experience health issues — especially if the rest of your diet relies on ultra-processed, nutrient-poor foods.

Timing: It is generally recommended to refrigerate the batter for no more than 24 hours [1]. Beyond that, the leavening agents in the batter may lose their effectiveness, resulting in a denser final product.

Never store it in the refrigerator. A refrigerator circulates cool air, which removes moisture and can prematurely dry breads and cakes. Place your cooled loaf on a plate and cover it in plastic wrap, or store it in an airtight container. Store it for up to four days on your counter.

Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or a digital thermometer inserted into the center reads 200-205°F, about 55 to 65 minutes. Cool in the pan on a cooling rack for 15 minutes before removing the loaf from the pan to finish cooling completely.

While it's okay if the banana peel is dark brown or even black, if the inside is too, then the fruit is beyond ripe and now on its way to rotten. Another sign that bananas have gone bad is if they start leaking any fluids. When in doubt, just toss the bananas out.

It turns out, sugar does more than just make things sweeter. When it comes to banana bread, cutting back on sugar will leave you with a dry loaf totally devoid of any distinguishable flavor.

You can double a standard banana bread recipe, as long as you bake the batter in two same-size loaf pans, or one after the other.

In the oven, the outside begins to cook much faster than the inside; the crack is from the inner batter rising and releasing steam through the semi-cooked outer batter.