Bananas: The star of the show! You’ll need about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas (yielding 1½ cups mashed). The riper, the better look for bananas with lots of brown spots or even completely black peels. These overripe bananas are sweeter and more flavorful. I’ve found that freezing and thawing bananas creates an even more intense banana flavor if you have the time.

All-Purpose Flour: 2 cups (250g) provide the structure for our banana bread. Make sure to spoon and level when measuring to avoid a dense loaf.

Butter: ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter adds richness and flavor. It’s important that it’s softened to room temperature so it creams properly with the sugar.

Brown Sugar: ¾ cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar. I prefer dark brown for a deeper molasses flavor, but either works beautifully. The brown sugar adds moisture and a caramel note that white sugar just can’t match.

Eggs: 2 large eggs at room temperature help bind everything together and provide structure.

Yogurt or Sour Cream: ⅓ cup (80g) adds incredible moisture and a subtle tang that balances the sweetness. Either plain yogurt or sour cream works perfectly.

Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors.

Baking Soda, Salt, and Cinnamon: These seemingly small ingredients make a huge difference! The baking soda helps the bread rise, salt enhances flavor, and cinnamon adds that warm, comforting spice note that complements bananas so well.

Nuts (Optional): ¾ cup (100g) of chopped pecans or walnuts adds wonderful texture and a nutty flavor. I personally love walnuts in my banana bread, but feel free to omit if you prefer or have nut allergies.