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Simple 3 Ingredient Banana Bread For Easy Baking

Simple 3 Ingredient Banana Bread for Easy Baking

This recipe guides you through making a delightful banana bread with just three core ingredients: ripe bananas, self-raising flour, and sugar. It offers numerous optional additions like egg, butter, vanilla, spices, nuts, and chocolate chips to customize the flavor and texture. The process is straightforward, yielding a moist, golden-brown loaf perfect for a sweet treat or snack.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 large about 450g very ripe bananas, mashed
  • 250 g self-raising flour or plain flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 100 g granulated sugar adjust to taste, depending on banana sweetness
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten (optional, for extra richness and binding)
  • 50 g unsalted butter melted (optional, for added moisture and flavour)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional, for enhanced aroma
  • A pinch of salt optional, to balance sweetness
  • 50 g chopped walnuts or pecans optional, for texture
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon optional, for warmth
  • A handful of chocolate chips optional, for a sweet treat

Method
 

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Start by preheating your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas Mark 4). Lightly grease a 23cm x 13cm loaf tin and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the longer sides. This makes for easy removal later.
  2. Mash the Bananas: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly mash your very ripe bananas with a fork until they are mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining. The mash should have a creamy, slightly chunky texture and a rich, sweet aroma.
  3. Combine Wet Ingredients (if using): If you're using the optional egg, melted butter, and vanilla, whisk them into the mashed bananas until well combined. The mixture will look glossy and uniform.
  4. Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the self-raising flour (and sugar, if using) to the banana mixture. If you're adding optional salt, cinnamon, nuts, or chocolate chips, now is the time to fold them in. Gently mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of dry flour. The batter should be thick and slightly sticky.
  5. Transfer to Tin and Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf tin, smoothing the top with your spatula. Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. You'll know it's done when the top is a beautiful golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The entire kitchen will be filled with a wonderful, sweet, toasty smell.
  6. Cool Before Slicing: Once baked, remove the loaf tin from the oven and let the banana bread cool in the tin for about 10-15 minutes. This allows it to firm up. Then, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the loaf onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. As it cools, the crust will become slightly firmer, and the interior will set, making it easier to slice cleanly.

Notes

For the best flavor, use very ripe bananas (with plenty of brown spots). Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added, as this can lead to a tough banana bread. Baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven; a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean when done. Cooling in the tin for 10-15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack helps the loaf firm up and prevents it from breaking.