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3-Ingredient Banana Bread Recipe
Ash Tyrrell

3-Ingredient Banana Bread Recipe

I still remember the first time I pulled this loaf out of the oven, half expecting it to flop since it only had three ingredients in it. It didn't. It came out soft, moist, and smelling like pure banana heaven, and I've been making it on repeat ever since.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cups ripe bananas mashed – the riper and spottier they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your loaf will be
  • ¾ cup sweetened condensed milk – this is what keeps the bread moist and gives it that rich flavor use coconut condensed milk if you want it dairy-free
  • 1 ½ cups self-rising flour sifted – sifting keeps your loaf light instead of dense, and self-rising flour means no extra leavening needed

Method
 

  1. Before I touch a single ingredient, I preheat my oven to 350°F. I line my loaf pan with parchment paper and give it a light grease too, since a well-prepped pan is the difference between a clean release and a banana bread that stubbornly clings to the sides.
  2. In a large bowl, I mash my ripe bananas until they're mostly smooth, then whisk in the condensed milk until the mixture looks silky. I gently fold in the sifted self-rising flour last, stirring just until no dry streaks remain so I don't overwork the batter.
  3. I pour the batter straight into my prepared pan and pop it into the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. I always start checking around the 28-minute mark since every oven runs a little differently, and I don't want to risk drying it out.
  4. Once a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, I pull the loaf out and let it cool completely in the pan. This step feels like torture when it smells this good, but slicing too early can make the middle collapse.

Notes

  • I always use bananas that are borderline too ripe, with plenty of brown spots, since underripe bananas leave the bread bland.
  • I sift my flour every single time, even when I'm in a rush, because it keeps the crumb light instead of dense.
  • If I notice the top browning too fast, I loosely tent it with foil halfway through baking.
  • I let the loaf cool fully in the pan before slicing, otherwise it turns gummy in the center.
  • When I want extra flavor, I stir in a handful of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts right before baking.