4-Ingredient Banana Bread — Easy, Moist, No Butter

Craving easy banana bread that’s truly quick and homemade—with just four ingredients? This streamlined loaf leans on very ripe (speckled to blackened) bananas for natural sweetness and plush moisture, so you don’t need a long ingredient list to get that “best banana bread” flavor. To keep the crumb tender, we’ll mix just until combined (over-mixing toughens the loaf), and we’ll bake to an internal temp of 200–205°F for a perfectly set center—no guesswork. If you’re exploring variations later, you can adapt the base toward gluten free banana bread (1:1 GF flour), vegan banana bread (plant-based egg substitute), banana nut bread (toasted walnuts), or even a subtle tang by folding in a spoonful of sourdough starter discard—though the core recipe stays four ingredients for speed and consistency. In short: fewer ingredients, clearer cues, better results—quick and easy banana bread you’ll actually make on weeknights

Ingredients

1. Very ripe bananas, mashed — 2 cups (about 454 g)

• Use speckled to nearly black bananas for natural sweetness and moisture.
• Measure after mashing so you don’t overshoot the ratio (1 cup mashed banana ≈ 227 g).

2. Self-rising flour — 2 cups (about 240 g)

• Self-rising already includes baking powder + salt, which keeps the recipe at four ingredients.
• No self-rising? Per cup, mix 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt (but that technically adds ingredients).
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• For accuracy, weigh the flour (1 cup = 120 g) or use the spoon-and-level method to avoid a dense loaf.

3. Large eggs — 2

• Let eggs come briefly to room temp for smoother mixing (follow FDA timing limits), then mix just until combined; over-mixing develops gluten and makes quick breads tough.

4. Light brown sugar, packed — 1 cup (about 200–213 g)

• “Packed” means press firmly into the cup; weighing removes guesswork. (Common references: ~200 g packed; King Arthur’s chart lists ~213 g.)

Pro tip for doneness: Aim for an internal temp of 200–205°F in the center (for gluten-free, 205–210°F). This prevents a gummy middle without overbaking the crust.

Step-by-step (micro-optimized)

1) Prep the oven & pan (the “even-bake” setup)

• Heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Place rack dead-center for the most even heat (top, bottom, and sides run hotter; the center avoids hot-spot over-browning).
• Lightly grease the loaf pan and line with a long strip of parchment, overhanging the long sides for a clean lift.

Vegan note: No change.

Gluten-free note: No change.

2) Mash & measure bananas precisely

• Mash bananas until 85–90% smooth (a few soft bits = better banana flavor pockets). Measure to 340 g (about 1 ½ cups). If you’re short, top up with more mashed banana—not water or milk—to keep the 4-ingredient rule and flavor intensity. (1 cup mashed banana = 227 g.)

Vegan note: No change.

Gluten-free note: No change.

3) Whisk eggs + brown sugar for structure and moisture

• In a medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs with 160 g brown sugar for 60–90 seconds until slightly thick and ribbony. This jump-starts structure and improves sliceability without extra ingredients (think of it as a minimalist “creaming” step). Packed brown sugar weight reference: 213 g per cup.

Vegan note: Replace each egg with 3 Tbsp aquafaba (liquid from canned chickpeas). Lightly whisk the aquafaba 30–60 sec until foamy, then whisk with the sugar. (Standard conversion: 3 Tbsp aquafaba = 1 egg.)

Gluten-free note: No change.

Safety tip: If you bring eggs to room temp (better emulsification), keep total counter time under 2 hours per USDA guidance. A quick safe method: submerge cold eggs in warm (not hot) water for 5–10 min.

4) Combine bananas → then flour (zero-tunnels, zero-gummy)

• Whisk the mashed banana into the egg-sugar mixture until uniform.
• Sift or sprinkle in 225 g self-rising flour and fold with a spatula just until the dry spots disappear (batter will be thick but scoopable). Avoid overmixing—a leading cause of tough crumb and “tunneling” in quick breads.

Vegan note: Same technique; aquafaba batter may look slightly looser—still fold just to combine.

Gluten-free note: Swap the self-rising flour for 225 g gluten-free 1:1 baking flour that already includes xanthan (e.g., King Arthur Measure for Measure) and ½ tsp fine salt + 2 tsp baking powder to replicate self-rising (if your blend doesn’t contain leavening). KA’s Measure-for-Measure is designed for 1:1 swaps in non-yeasted recipes.

5) Rest the batter briefly (secret edge)

• Rest 10 minutes before baking. This helps starches hydrate for a finer crumb; KA even builds a rest into their banana bread workflow. For gluten-free, a 10–15 minute rest is especially beneficial to hydrate gums/starches.

Vegan note: No change.

Gluten-free note: Don’t skip; this dramatically improves texture.

6) Bake smart: tent timing + temperature targets

• Scrape batter into the pan, smooth top, and bake on the center rack.
• Timing: After 45 minutes, tent the top loosely with foil to prevent over-browning; continue baking 20–30 minutes more. Start doneness checks near 60–65 minutes total for an 8.5×4.5" pan; a 9×5" pan (thinner loaf) may finish a bit sooner. KA uses the same mid-bake tenting trick.
• Doneness (more reliable than a skewer):
• Quick breads are perfect at ~200°F in the center (insert a fast digital thermometer at a slight angle to avoid the pan).
• Gluten-free loaves set a touch higher: ~205–210°F internal.
• Visual cue: a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter (also used by KA).

Vegan note: Same temperatures.

Gluten-free note: Aim for 205–210°F; GF batters often look “done” on top before the center sets.

7) Cool like a pro (prevents gummy slices)

• Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then lift out to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. This prevents steam from making the crumb gummy and is standard in reliable recipes.

Vegan note: No change.

Gluten-free note: No change.

8) Slice, store, and freeze (keep it moist, not soggy)

• Slice with a sharp serrated knife once fully cool.
• Store well wrapped (plastic or foil) at room temp for a couple of days; freeze for longer—classic guidance from KA on soft breads. Avoid long-term foil-only storage with acidic foods; for banana bread, wrap + bag works best.