Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes bread extra moist? ›

For example, fats like butter or oil can help keep moisture in, while sugars will help to caramelize on the outside and create a golden crust. These ingredients can also play an essential role in keeping your bread moist when added in smaller quantities.

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.

Place a paper towel at the bottom of an airtight container or in a zip-top bag. Place the cooled banana bread on top of it, then cover the loaf with another paper towel. Seal the container tightly and refrigerate for up to one week.

The basic banana bread formula

Most banana bread recipes have the same formula, roughly: 115 grams (½ cup) butter (or oil) + 200 grams (1 cup) sugar (white or brown) + 2 large eggs + 2 or 3 mashed bananas + (190 grams) 1-½ cups flour + 1 teaspoon baking soda + ½ teaspoon salt.

Milk powder.

Instant milk powder makes bread dough super soft and fluffy and also helps to give it a good rise. It also contributes to the dough staying nice and soft after baking for a little longer than a recipe that does not use milk powder.

Bake for longer: If the center of your banana bread is still gooey, you may need to bake it for a longer time. Check the bread every 5-10 minutes by inserting a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with moist crumbs, continue baking until the toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.

Alternatively, consider giving the bread an extra 10 or so minutes in the oven, which should be enough time for excess moisture to evaporate as steam. If it's too late to salvage the soggy loaf, fret not, as there are creative ways to put mushy banana bread to use.

Over mixing the batter

The reason is as you mix, the gluten begins to develop, and when too much development happens, you can end up with a dense, chewy loaf rather than the soft and delicious banana bread you were hoping for.

Wrapped well and stored at room temperature, banana bread will last about five days. If stored in the fridge, it should last a full week. A frozen loaf of banana bread will last up to a year in the freezer, wrapped well with storage wrap and aluminum foil.

Is it better to keep banana bread in the fridge or out? ›

Banana bread can stay fresh at room temperature for three days, if stored in a cool dry place. You can try one of a few different methods for storage: Plastic wrap and an airtight container.

Let it cool for 10 minutes — this helps the loaf solidify and makes it easier to remove from the pan. Remove from pan and cool another 10 minutes. Grasping the parchment paper sling, lift the loaf out of the pan and place on the cooling rack. Cool for another 10 minutes before slicing.

From looking at some of the oldest recipes, it seems that baking powder, rather than baking soda, is the most traditional ingredient used in banana bread. However, when you understand how both leavening agents function, you'll understand why you can use one or the other. They'll both work.

Simply, batter is wet and your baked good is dry, so all of the moisture mixed into the batter will be driven off to rise. Its mind boggling, but rising agents like baking powder and baking soda do NOT make baked goods rise. They simple create the bubbles for steam to expand and grow in the baked good.

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.\

The spread adds flavor and moisture, mayonnaise and butter add richness. The spread also creates a moisture barrier, so the bread doesn't get soggy. The main types of spreads are mayonnaise, salad dressing, butter, and variety spreads such as hummus, pesto and cream cheese.

Method #1: Baking bread with steam using a spray bottle

The simplest method of adding steam to your oven is to spray the loaf with warm water prior to putting it into the oven.

But when you reduce sugar in yeast bread, the only textural difference you might see is a tendency towards dryness. Why is this? Sugar is hygroscopic; that means it attracts and holds moisture. Without sugar, moisture evaporates from bread during baking, creating a drier loaf.

Dry milk powder- this will help your bread hold its moisture longer, as well as help your bread rise higher and crust be browner. This also adds some nutritional value to your bread as well, so win-win!