Do you only have one banana ready for your favorite quick bread? Or, do you just want a small batch? I have the best solution: Make two mini loaves of delicious, customizable one banana banana bread with basic baking ingredients.
There's always that one lonely banana on the counter that just passed its prime.
What do I make with one ripe banana?
It's not enough for a standard banana bread recipe, but hey, it's enough for two mini loaves of this simple one banana bread!
Just like its regular-sized counterpart, this one banana banana bread is customizable and easy to make. Despite containing just a single banana, it still packs in plenty of banana flavor!
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Get All Of The Recipe Ingredients
You can get loads of flavor in a banana bread recipe with one banana. I've used simple and standard ingredients so it's easy too!
Just like regular banana bread, this small loaf banana bread recipe uses basic ingredients:
- One banana
- Eggs
- Sour cream or plain yogurt
- Oil
- Butter
- Granulated sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
How Many Cups of Mashed Banana Per Banana?
An average banana yields anywhere from ½ cup to ⅔ cup of mashed banana and that is just the right amount to make a small loaf or two mini loaves!
Very Ripe Bananas
Banana bread is best when very ripe bananas are use. As a banana ripens the sugar content intensifies and the texture becomes extra soft.
Use bananas that are too ripe for eating and have lots of brown spots, or are completely brown. These past-prime bananas are naturally extra sweet and easy to mash into your batter.
Can Mix-Ins Be Added?
Yes! This quick bread is customizable and can be made plain, as banana nut bread or chocolate chip banana bread. You can even add coconut or pineapple if you like that.
The texture of this quick bread is perfect for pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, coconut, dried fruit, or chocolate chips. The amount to add is listed in the recipe card below.
How to Make One Banana Banana Bread
I like to mix my liquid ingredients first and then add the other things, so I wouldn't call this a one bowl banana bread, but it's really simple and you won't have many dishes.
Here's a look at how the banana bread recipe with one banana is made, with step-by-step photos.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Like I always recommend, please get an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is set to the right temperature!
Step 2: Line or spray your loaf pans, and mash the banana with a fork in a mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, butter, and sugar to the banana and whisk to combine.
Step 4: Mix the dry ingredients together and then stir into the banana mixture. DON'T OVER MIX! Over mixing will create a tough quick bread, instead of soft and tender.
Step 5: Add your mix-ins if using, like mini chocolate chips or nuts.
Step 6: Divide batter between the 2 mini loaf pans and sprinkle with nuts or crystal sugar if desired.
Step 7: Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Tip: You can make this small batch in your toaster oven!
How Long to Bake Mini Loaves of Banana Bread?
The mini loaves will need to bake for roughly 26 to 30 minutes at 350ºF.
Why Make Mini Loaves?
You can make two mini loaves of quick bread with one banana. I make two mini loaves because I think they bake better and stay nice, moist, and delicious.
Quick bread often gets over-baked on the edges and bottom because it is dense and takes more cooking time to get done all the way through.
By dividing the batter of this recipe into two small pans, you can bake the batter all the way through before the edges get tough and dry. This is a great set of mini loaf pans you can use.
Can This Recipe Be Made in a Standard Loaf Pan?
Yes! You can certainly bake this one banana bread in a standard loaf pan. You can also bake this recipe into 6 standard banana bread muffins.
Can Banana Bread Be Frozen?
You can wrap cooled bread in plastic wrap and, or foil, and freeze up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Can This Recipe Be Made Gluten-Free?
I haven't tried this recipe with gluten-free flour, but for most of my gluten free recipes I use Cup4Cup GF flour and would suggest trying that in this recipe.
Tips for Making Banana Bread with One Banana
- If your banana doesn't quite mash to the ⅔ cup called for in the recipe, don't worry! It may be a bit more or less, which is just fine. Use it all.
- Bringing all the ingredients to room temperature before mixing will create better results.
- Each mini loaf pan gets about 1 cup of batter
- Add ½ cup mix-in additions to the recipe, or ¼ cup to each loaf. Use mini or regular chocolate chips, any chopped nut, coconut, or chopped pineapple. Or you can leave it out altogether and make it plain and classic.
More breakfast recipes:
More recipes with bananas:
Let me know how it went!
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One Banana Banana Bread
Equipment
- mini loaf pans
Ingredients
- 1 very ripe banana (about ⅔ cup mashed)
- 2 large eggs room temp
- 2 tablespoons sour cream or plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons mild oil (avocado or canola)
- 2 tablespoons butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup walnuts, pecans or mini chocolate chips Optional
- Raw or turbinado sugar
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350ºF. Spray two mini loaf pans (5-by-3-by-2-inch pans) with cooking spray or brush with butter. I line the very bottom with a little rectangle of parchment. You can do this if you’d like.
- Mash the banana using a fork in a medium mixing bowl. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, butter and sugar and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to banana mixture with mix-ins you are using. Mix gently until a batter is formed. DO NOT OVERMIX!!! There will be dry bits of flour and it will seem lumpy. This is fine. You do not want to stir until super smooth or the bread will be tough.
- Portion half the batter (1 cup each) into each loaf pan. Sprinkle the tops with raw or course sugar, or chopped nuts if desired. About a tablespoon for each loaf.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with minimal crumbs, 26 to 30 minutes.
- Let bread cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack and let cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- If your banana isn’t quite ⅔ cup or just a bit more when mashed, that’s just fine. Use whatever amount one standard banana yields.
- Bringing all the ingredients to room temperature before mixing will create better results.
- Each mini loaf pan gets about 1 cup of batter
- Add ½ cup additions to the recipe, or ¼ cup to each loaf. Use mini or regular chocolate chips, any chopped nut, coconut, or chopped pineapple. Or you can leave it out altogether and make plain banana bread.
Nutrition
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About Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television & advertising. Order my new cookbook & stick around for amazing things to eat.
Britney says
Yes yes yes! This is the perfect recipe for my one lonely banana. Such a simple recipe so I'll be making this bread again and again!
Mia says
This recipe came just in the nick of time! I was about to toss the last banana! Oh my goodness! Such a great recipe and such a perfect concept - one banana banana bread. Mine just came out of the oven and, I must say, the best I've ever made. Love the mini loaves!
Laurel says
Is there anything I could substitute for the sour cream. I have all the ingredients but this.
Tara Teaspoon says
Laurel you could substitute plain or vanilla yogurt. That being said if the yogurt is low fat or nonfat there will be a bit of a texture difference from using sour cream. I love 5% or even 10% fat plain Greek yogurt if you can find it. Tara
Mary says
May I tell you how happy I am to have this recipe!?? There is always that last banana that I usually toss. I’ve made this delicious recipe several times and say, “Thank you, Tara Teaspoon “ every time!!! Bravo!