Paula Deen Banana Bread

This Paula Deen banana bread recipe yields perfect results all the time. You can always count on Paula for great recipes!

This banana bread is insanely moist and full of flavor, just like your grandma used to make.  

The best part is it couldn’t be simpler. The ingredients are basic and the recipe is beginner-friendly!

Of course, no one needs to know that; It’ll be our little secret.

Ready to wow your family and friends with your baking prowess?

Turn on the oven and peel them bananas! Let’s get the party started.

Paula Deen Banana Bread 

Paula Deen’s banana bread is everything you could hope for. It’s soft, fluffy, moist, and loaded with sweet, banana goodness.

It’s basic banana bread. There’s no cinnamon sugar on top and no chocolate chips, and it just has some chopped pecans.

But don’t be fooled by its simplicity, because OMG, it’s unbelievably amazing.

How to Make a Moist Loaf 

What I love about this recipe is that it’s so easy.

Trust Paula Deen to make the most amazing baked goods with almost zero effort. What a whiz!

To start, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Then, prepare your pans. Brush the bottom and the sides of two loaf pans with oil or butter.

Greasing will help the bread to easily come off the pans. 

You can also just line the pans with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhang on the sides for easier lifting. 

Next, combine the dry ingredients – flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda – in a medium bowl.

Stir the mixture well so the ingredients are evenly distributed. Set it aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter, bananas, and eggs. Use room temperature ingredients so they combine easily. 

Then, pour the dry ingredients into the banana mixture.

Gently mix them together just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Do not over-mix the batter, otherwise, the bread will be too dense.

Add in the chopped pecans. If you have other mix-ins, this is the time to add them.

Pour the batter into your prepared pans and bake.

They’ll take about 40 to 45 minutes, but I suggest you check for doneness at the 38-minute mark. 

Stick a toothpick into the middle of the bread. If it comes out clean, they’re done!

If it comes out with wet batter sticking to it, give it another 5 minutes and check again.

Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Flip them over onto a wire rack and allow them to cool completely. 

Slice and enjoy as is or slathered with butter.

Tips for the Best Loaf 

• Be sure you use overly ripe bananas. As the skins get darker, the sweeter they get. The sweeter they are, the better.

If your bananas haven’t reached that ideal ripeness level, speed things up by placing them in a paper bag with some ripe apples.

Apples contain ethylene, a compound responsible for ripening fruit. 

Place the paper bag in the warmest area of your house, say, near a window or on top of your fridge. After 1 to 2 days, your bananas will be ready.

If you can’t wait that long, though, pop the bananas in the oven. Bake them, unpeeled, at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 30 minutes.

The skins will have browned and the flesh will have turned softer and sweeter.

• Measure the flour accurately with the spoon and level method. Use a spoon to transfer the flour into the measuring cup, and level it with the back of a knife or an offset spatula.

Merely scooping the flour with the measuring cup will yield more flour than needed, resulting in stiff and dry bread. 

• Use equal parts white and brown sugar. Brown sugar contains molasses, which add moisture to the bread.
• If you’re using self-rising flour, omit the baking powder and baking soda.

Mix-ins for Banana Bread 

What I love about bananas is they taste great with almost anything.

That’s why there are so many variations you can make from this basic recipe.

For a fruity loaf, stir in fresh blueberries to the batter.

This not only gives the bread a sweet-n-tart twist but pretty specks of blue as well.

If you’re a fan of the banana and mango combo, get tropical by adding some mashed ripe mangoes in the batter.

You can also opt for dried fruit, such as chopped apricots, raisins, or dried cranberries. The chewiness adds a nice textural variety.

Can’t get enough of chocolate? Throw some chocolate chips in there. Dark, milk, semi-sweet – whatever you prefer is fine.

I hear M&M’s work really well, too. How colorful!

Go nuts with nuts! Aside from pecans, walnuts and almonds also taste great with banana bread.

You can add them to the batter and sprinkle them on top for extra crunch. 

How about a bit of spice? When it comes to banana bread, you can’t go wrong with cinnamon and nutmeg.

How to Keep Banana Bread Moist 

If you stick to this recipe, you won’t have to worry about your banana bread coming out dry, unless you over-bake it.

If this happens, don’t give up. Just cut it up and warm a few slices in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top.

The liquid in the paper towel will create steam, giving back moisture to the bread.

Thanks to the bananas, the loaves will keep nice and moist for days.

To help ensure maximum moistness, place them in a sealed air-tight container or wrap them well with plastic wrap.

More Paula Deen Recipes You’ll Love

Paula Deen’s Ooey-Gooey Butter Cake
Paula Deen’s Peach Cobbler
Paula Deen’s Cinnamon Rolls