Super Easy 4 Ingredient Banana Bread Delicious Dessert (2024)

I think I am currently on a roll with good recipes coming out of my own hands, which is an absolute surprise, to say the least! This delicious 4 ingredient banana bread flew out quite quickly and even made a breach on our mom, who doesn’t eat many desserts, so that says something.

This one bowl banana bread is the perfect recipe for anyone that loves an easy recipe, quick to make, with minimal equipment to wash afterwards and straightforward! What else do I love about it? Did I mention it only needs 4 ingredients?

Easy items to find in any pantry and also a great way not to waste bananas you bought on your last shopping trip. Moreover, an economic dessert that these days can really be helpful. If you have kids, this will be the perfect after-school snack or the easiest dessert you can make and still wow all your guests! It’s also a great base recipe for homemade banana bread to play with, adding ingredients you like.

Anyway, we do love banana bread recipes as you may have realised. It already made an appearance with this tasty chocolate and peanut butter chips banana bread as well as with these chocolate-dipped banana bread biscotti. And who knows, it might still make an appearance dressing up a bit down the road or maybe with an air fryer or instant pot recipe, stay tuned!

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Are bananas good for you? Are they really fruits?

Bananas are one of the most common and healthy choices you can add to your diet. Despite being a popularly called fruit, scientifically, bananas are classified as berries. Yes, you read that right! As scientifically, a berry is something that has three layers: an outer skin, a fleshy part and an inner part that contains the seeds. (LiveScience)

Bananas have plenty of health benefits for you:

• rich in nutrients;
• may support digestive health;
• rich in antioxidants;
• rich in vitamin B6;
• good source of vitamin C;
• great source of potassium & fiber;
• good to boost your mood;
• great for energy levels;
• good for your skin;
• may improve blood sugar levels;
• may support heart health. (Healthline)

As usual, with all foods, bananas should be eaten in moderation!

What are the ingredients for this banana bread?

This one-bowl banana bread only requires four ingredients! Yes, you read that right, what’s not to love about that? Moreover, easy ingredients you can find in your pantry too! The main characters will be very ripe bananas, then you will need two eggs, brown sugar both for the batter and some to sprinkle on top and lastly, self-raising flour. That’s it!

What equipment will I need for this easy 4 ingredient banana bread recipe?

All you will need for this easy banana bread without baking soda is a bowl, a fork or a whisk and a loaf pan. You can beat everything by hand for your batter and it’s all in one bowl, making this recipe very easy to make, and no excess washing in sight!

How do I make this easy banana bread?

This one-bowl banana bread is so easy and quick. You will start by preheating the oven to 180°C and spraying or lining an 8.5-inch tin loaf for later. In the meantime, in a large bowl, start by mashing 4 of the overripe bananas until smooth with a fork. If there are still some lumps, don’t worry!

Add the eggs to the bananas and combine them all. Sift the self-raising flour into the mix and add the sugar. Mix well with the fork or use a whisk, which makes it easier for you. At this point, you want to make sure that the batter is free of any flour lumps.

Pour the batter into the tin loaf you prepped before. Cut the last banana in half lengthways and place it on top of the batter. Sprinkle some brown sugar so that it will caramelise the top of your banana bread for extra deliciousness. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean during cook time, that’s how you will know your banana bread is properly cooked. Make sure it cools down completely before serving and enjoy!

Let’s check out some frequently asked questions for this four ingredient banana bread!

Can I substitute anything in this 4 ingredient banana bread?

As it contains very few ingredients, it would be hard to avoid any of them. But if you want to substitute something, you could use white sugar instead of brown sugar or any sugar replacement you usually use, but in this latter case, it might need some tweaking. You could also use frozen bananas, as some swear by it for added moistness to your dessert.

Can I avoid using self-raising flour and use regular flour instead?

You can use regular flour and tweak it a bit in the recipe in case you don’t have any self-raising flour. All you will have to do is add the raising agent and some salt. For the 1 1/2 cups of self-raising flour you need, you can substitute it with 1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

Should I use very ripe bananas for this recipe? Can I fasten the ripening process?

Very ripe bananas are a must for this 4 ingredient banana bread recipe! The riper the better as they will give more flavour and will be sweeter. It’s also an amazing recipe to avoid wasting them too.

In case you don’t have very ripe bananas, place them on a tray in the oven for 3-5 minutes while the oven is preheating and they will turn brown. When ready take them out and mash them.

Can I add anything to this easy banana bread self rising flour recipe?

Absolutely! Another great thing about this banana bread recipe using 4 bananas is that it’s a delicious base to make your banana bread even better! But what can you add:

• chocolate chip, to make it an even more indulgent dessert;
• peanut butter chips or just a swirl of it, because who doesn’t love peanut butter and banana? You put it on toast, so that’s a no-brainer;
• dried fruits;
• oats;
• cinnamon or allspice or nutmeg, if you love some good spices to add some pizzaz;
• walnuts, because they make a great combo together. Or any other kind of nut you like, like chopped pecans and hazelnuts;
• pumpkin, because it’s a must during fall;
• coconut;
• citrus;
• zucchini, I think this is a match that is really popular on Pinterest too;
• cocoa, for an even more scrumptious loaf and a great way to get kids to eat fruits. (Taste Home)

Any tips and tricks for easy banana bread without baking soda?

Do use ripe bananas, they are the heart of this recipe’s success. If you want moist banana bread, this is the answer! Bananas that are not ripe enough will get you dry banana bread, which no one wants to eat!

There’s not much in terms of tricks to make this banana bread as it’s pretty straightforward, only have fun with it and pick some fillings for an indulgent treat!

What can you serve with your one bowl banana bread?

There are plenty of ways you can serve this easy dessert recipe, these are some ideas:

• on its own, sounds like a no-brainer, but when you have an amazing topping with caramelised sugar and banana and a moist inside, you can’t deny it;
• toasted with maple syrup, if you want something indulgent, absolutely go for this;
• topped with peanut butter, either toasted or as it is, for a delicious snack;
• topped with chocolate, I can see some Nutella on it working amazingly;
• toasted with butter, this reminds me of work, and there’s nothing that I loved more than a warm slice with butter filling any crevice of the slice;
• jam, might sound weird, but if you have a nice jam that can work with it, why not?;
• curd, as for the point above, if you like it, have it!

How long does the banana bread keep for? Can I freeze it?

Another amazing thing about this dessert recipe is that it keeps for up to three days in an air-tight container so that it will keep moist and fresh. Unless it’s finished on the same day and the container has no service!

In case you are solo or you want to make more than one in advance so that you have a snack in the freezer to take out, you can keep this 4 ingredient banana bread in the freezer for up to 6 months. A tip if you decide to freeze, use some parchment paper between slices, so that you can thaw only what you need. After taking it out, make sure it thaws overnight in the fridge before serving!

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To conclude this delicious 4 ingredient banana bread recipe, why not check out some other recipes that are just as delicious:

• how to make an easy 10 minutes spring charcuterie board
• best coffee spritzer
• super easy peach hand pies
• vegan mushroom korma
• 15 minutes oat flour pancakes
• red velvet madeleines
• ricotta hot cakes with maple bananas
• 5 ingredients strawberry lemonade recipe
• 3 ingredient strawberry sorbet without ice cream maker

Do you like a loaf of delicious banana bread? Do you love banana desserts? Have you ever made a 4 ingredient banana bread? Will give it a try to this simple banana bread recipe? Let me know in the comments!

PIN THIS 4 INGREDIENT BANANA BREAD RECIPE FOR LATER!

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