Homemade banana bread must be one of the most comforting foods for breakfast or a sweet treat.
Growing up, my nana always made the best banana bread, and whenever my cousins and I would go over to her house, there would always be a fresh, warm banana bread waiting for us.
It has now become a comfort food of mine that I will always love.
The only downside to banana bread is that it doesn’t last long.
It only lasts about 3–4 days at room temperature, which does not give you enough time to enjoy a whole loaf if it is just you and a couple of other people in your home.
That is why I have come up with the best ways to store banana bread to keep it fresh and last a long time.
How to Store Banana Bread at Room Temperature
Airtight container on counter: The first option for storing banana bread is an airtight container.
Set your banana bread on your counter if you want to keep it at room temperature. If you know you will only have it for a couple of days because that’s how long it will stay fresh.
The airtight container helps to keep out all the air and keep the moisture in to prevent it from becoming stale. You can also wrap slices in a paper towel first to help absorb any excess moisture.
Refrigerator: Keeping your banana bread in the fridge is another excellent way of storing it, as it will give it a few extra days. Instead of being fresh for 3–4 days, it will be fresh for a week.
You can put the banana bread in plastic wrap and then in the fridge, or use another airtight container.
The cool air from the fridge prevents the bread from growing mold, keeping it fresh for a longer period. It’s a great way to stretch the shelf life of banana bread during busy weeks.
Freezer: Freezing bread is the best way if you want it to last longer. Did you know that banana bread freezes well? Banana bread is actually known to last 2–3 months in the freezer and still tastes delicious.
The only downside to storing bread in the freezer is freezer burn. To prevent freezer burn from happening on your banana bread, wrap it very tightly in either plastic wrap or a layer of aluminum foil, then put your wrapped banana bread into an airtight container or a labelled resealable freezer bag and put it in the freezer.
A tip I have when storing bread in the freezer is to cut individual slices of bread and wrap them separately.
This way, when you take a slice of banana bread, you don’t have to take the
entire loaf of banana bread and thaw it; you can just take the wrapped slices you want. It’s the best option if you’re freezing banana bread for future use.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers:
Q: Where should I store this banana bread?
A: I would store it at room temperature and avoid a cool or warm place if it can mess up the shelf life of the banana bread. A bread box or countertop container is usually your best bet for short-term storage.
Q: How long can you leave banana bread out on the counter without saran wrap before it goes stale?
A: You should not expose your banana bread to too much air, but it will probably start getting hard after 12 hours. Try using foil or a zip-top bag to keep it soft.
Q: Why do ripe bananas give banana bread the best flavor?
A: Ripe bananas give banana bread the best flavor because they have more sugar than unripe bananas, making them way sweeter. Food scientists have found that this added sugar also enhances the bread’s tenderness.
Q: How would you make banana nut bread?
A: You would usually make banana nut bread the same way you would, but you would add nuts instead of the chocolate chips.
My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe
Description
Now, what we have all been waiting for! I will show you how to make my favorite banana bread recipe.
It is simple and easy, and the key to making it is to use overripe bananas; you want to make sure that the bananas you will be using are dark and give the best results.
You want a mixture of some dark ones and some with many brown spots.
This is because overripe bananas are sweeter, giving the banana bread a sweeter taste.
Ingredients
1 stick of room temperature unsalted butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/4 cup of brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda and powder
4 overripe bananas
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
1. Start by combining the butter and eggs in a large bowl.
2. Beat them with a hand mixer until combined, then add the sugar and beat that.
3. Then add your vanilla along with your ripe bananas. I recommend breaking them in half before putting them in the bowl, making mixing easier.
4. Beat that until combined.
5. Next, add your dry ingredients—the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt—and beat until all are combined.
6. Banana bread batter has to be my favorite raw batter, so I recommend trying it, especially since it’s so delicious.
7. If you want, you can add your chocolate chips; just pour them into the batter and fold them in with a spatula.
8. Pour the batter into a loaf pan with parchment paper or greased to prevent sticking. The cooking time for this banana bread loaf is 1 hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
9. Make sure to cool the banana bread once you take it out of the oven on your kitchen counter cooling rack before cutting into it. If you baked them in muffin tins, you could also turn these into banana muffins instead of banana bread.
Notes
This recipe makes around eight slices of banana bread. I hope you like and enjoy this recipe!
