The secret to perfect banana bread every time

1. Ripeness. The riper the banana, the more moist and flavorful the bread – so wait for those bananas to ripen. A few brown spots are even better!
2. Extras. Whatever you can get your hands on! Be it nuts, chocolate or extra fruit – just add it in and watch the flavors soar.
3. Toppings. Think creamy lemon drizzle or a rich chocolate fondant. No banana bread has ever been harmed with a little extra zing. But if you’re a banana bread purist, we’re all for that too!

Remember, banana bread is for everyone. Whether you’re a vegan, vegetarian, lactose or gluten intolerant, or even a fan of all things full fat (!) we’ve got a banana bread recipe for you!

Want moist banana bread? The riper the banana the better!

Everyone knows that for the best banana bread, your bananas should be super ripe. Not green… not yellow… but yellow with a few brown spots! Not only does this make them easier to mash, but they’re sweeter and they’ll make your banana bread even more moist and flavorful.

The ultimate banana bread baking guide

For the perfect banana bread texture, stir the wet ingredients gently into the dry. It’s important not to stir too much as gluten will develop and that’s when the bread can get tough and rubbery. So be gentle and don’t overstir!

Also, don’t be tempted to throw in more bananas than the recipe states. This could make your banana bread wet and feeling undercooked. If you have more bananas than you need, freeze them or better yet, make an extra loaf of banana bread for the freezer!

Getting the flour-to-banana ratio perfect is absolute key to making the perfect moist banana bread. We recommend using the “spoon and level method” for scooping flour. Rather than scooping flour straight out of the bag which can result in too much flour being compacted into the cup, spoon the flour out of the bag and into your cup and use a flat edge, like a knife, to scrape off the excess.

To test if your banana bread is ready, don’t cut into it with a knife. Instead, take a skewer and insert it into the center. If it still has batter sticking to it, bake for another five minutes. If the skewer comes out clean or with just a few crumbs… you’re ready to rock n roll!

Once your banana bread is out of the oven, transfer it immediately to a cooling rack to prevent it from getting soggy. And don’t be tempted to wrap it in plastic wrap too soon. Let it cool down first. To reheat your banana bread, simply put it back into the oven (or the microwave) for a few minutes when you’re ready to eat it!

How should you store Chiquita banana bread?

Here are a few tips and tricks to help keep your moist banana bread staying fresh and delicious for days. The ideal place to store freshly baked banana bread is in an airtight container at room temperature. When stored at room temperature, banana bread will stay soft and moist. But after a few days, it’s best to move it into the fridge. Since the bread is full of ripe bananas, it has a lot of moisture which can eventually lead to mold. So be sure to move your banana bread to the fridge before it gets moldy. Or just gobble it up in one day – shouldn’t be too hard!

Storing banana bread on the counter

When storing banana bread on the counter, you should place it in a plastic storage container with a locking lid. This will allow the banana bread a little space to breathe and prevent it from getting soggy (which can happen when wrapped in plastic wrap). It’s also a good idea to place a paper towel in the container with the banana bread. The napkin will absorb any excess moisture keeping the banana bread fresh for longer.

Storing banana bread in the fridge

If you want to extend the shelf life of your banana bread, store in the fridge. But be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap to prevent it from getting dry.

Storing banana bread in the freezer

Did you know, banana bread freezes great! So any time you make banana bread, you can feel good about making an extra loaf and storing it in the freezer for later.