Old-fashioned banana bread made with simple ingredients and chopped walnuts.
This version—often shared online as Betty White’s Banana Bread—has roots in classic cookbooks and flour company recipes. I’m sharing it here as a straightforward, comforting loaf worth baking whenever you have ripe bananas on hand.
Old Fashioned Banana Bread Recipe
This simple banana bread recipe has circulated for years and originally appeared in older flour-product cookbooks. It produces a tender loaf that highlights ripe bananas and a pleasant walnut crunch.
Start with very ripe bananas—the darker and softer they are, the more banana flavor and natural sweetness they provide. As bananas ripen, their starches convert to sugar, which enhances both taste and texture. Banana bread is an ideal way to use overripe fruit.
If you can’t use overripe bananas right away, freeze them in a sealed bag for up to three months and thaw when you’re ready to bake.
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What is Strong Flour?
Strong flour, also called bread flour, is milled from hard wheat and contains more protein than all-purpose flour—typically around 13–14% protein. That higher protein content produces more gluten, which is ideal for airy, structured yeast breads, though it works well in this loaf to give a slightly firmer crumb than all-purpose flour.
Ingredients in Homemade Banana Nut Bread
- Bread flour (strong flour)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Ripe bananas (use very ripe or overripe bananas for best flavor)
- Egg
- Milk
- Vegetable oil (salad oil)
- Chopped walnuts
- Vanilla extract
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How to Make Betty White’s Banana Bread
This recipe is deliberately classic and uncomplicated. If you want a touch of spice, add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients for a warm, subtle flavor.
Preheat the oven and prepare the pan — Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
Sift the flour — Sift or whisk the bread flour to remove lumps and aerate it, then place it in a large mixing bowl.
Add the dry ingredients — Combine the sifted flour with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar.
Combine wet ingredients in the well — Make a well in the center of the dry mixture. Mash the ripe bananas with a fork (or hand mixer) and add them to the well. Add the egg, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and chopped walnuts on top of the bananas.
Mix the batter — Stir gently until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine.
Bake — Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs when the loaf is done. Oven times vary, so check for doneness near the lower end of the time range.
Cool — Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn the bread out onto a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
Add Flavor and Spice to the Classic Banana Nut Bread
The original recipe keeps the flavors simple so the bananas shine through. If you prefer more warmth or complexity, experiment with additions like ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of nutmeg, or a tablespoon of brown sugar for deeper caramel notes.
Tip: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be.
📖 Recipe
Betty White’s Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9 x 5-inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 2 cups bread flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 bananas, the riper the better)
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cinnamon Cream Cheese (optional)
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175ºC).
- Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
- Sift the bread flour and stir in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar.
- Mash the ripe bananas with a fork or hand mixer.
- Create a well in the dry ingredients and add the mashed bananas, then the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.
- Add chopped walnuts.
- Stir until the dry ingredients are just moistened; do not overmix.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and finish cooling on a rack.
- For the cinnamon cream cheese, beat the softened cream cheese with cinnamon until smooth. Spread on slices as desired.
Notes
Grease and flour the loaf pan well to prevent sticking.
Add ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients if you prefer a spiced loaf.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 261 kcal | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 13 g | Saturated Fat: 3 g | Sugar: 12 g
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary.
© Mama Needs Cake
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