The recipe that come from our mom are always our most popular recipes. They are simple, classic, and stand the test of time. This banana bread recipe of hers is no exception. Although we’ve played with this recipe and even posted variations of it, we never posted mom’s banana bread in its original form. So here it is, the classic version of our mom’s banana bread. The recipe is the original, stained recipe card version – no tweaks, no edits, just the way mom made it.

Our mom’s banana bread is simple. It’s mainly just bananas, flour, salt, and butter. She also adds a little bit of lemon juice along with coconut flakes. The coconut is entirely optional, but we love the taste and texture these add. We truly think they make banana bread.

Banana Bread Ingredients:

All-purpose flour
Salt
Baking Soda
Granulated Sugar
Softened Butter
Egg
Ripe bananas
Lemon juice
Shredded unsweetened coconut

Do the bananas really need to be ripe?

Yes – Although it can be painful to wait for ripe bananas it is important to make the best loaf. The bananas should be speckled and turning brown at the very least – or even better close to dark brown. It’s really important to wait for the ‘right’ banana to make the bread. The flavor and texture will not be the same without them at this stage.

Can I use brown sugar instead of white sugar?

We like the texture of the bread with white sugar, but some brown sugar can also be used for this recipe. Simply swap half of the sugar with brown 1:1. It will add great flavor but change the texture of the bread slightly.

Mom’s Banana Bread

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1

Cooling 30

Total Time 2

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1 stick softened salted butter
1 large egg well beaten
3 ripe bananas mashed
Juice of 2 meyer lemons
¾ cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9×5″ glass or ceramic loaf pan with cooking oil
In a bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking soda
In the base of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, around two minutes. Scrape down the sides and mix again for about 30 seconds
Add in the egg and mix again for about 30 seconds
Add in the ripe bananas and lemon juice start the mixer on low, slowly increasing the speed. Mix together until the bananas are well mashed and incorporated
Add in the dry ingredients and mix on low until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides and mix again for about 30 seconds
Fold in the shredded coconut until just incorporated
Pour batter into the prepared baking pan
Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a tester poked into the center comes out clean (depending on your oven and baking pan it may take longer or shorter, we recommend to start testing after ~1 hour)