This easy 4-Ingredient Banana Bread is a simple one-bowl recipe. The crumb of this bread is moist, light and fluffy and you need only four ingredients to make this amazing, delicious and decadent bread.
I love using mayonnaise in baking. It's an easy way to enhance bakes, save time, and reduce ingredients. Try my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake — it's always a hit, and no one will guess the secret ingredient, just like in this quick bread.
Table of Contents
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Make this moist bread with only 4 basic ingredients in about an hour.
- This bread has a wonderful taste with light and fluffy crumb like my Brownie Bread, Peanut Butter Bread and this Copycat Startbucks Lemon Loaf.
- Love Banana breads? Try this Banana Bread without Baking Soda.
Overripe Bananas for Baking
Bananas ripen quickly, developing brown spots due to oxidation and ethylene gas. Overripe bananas are sweeter, more flavorful, and nutritious with higher antioxidants and Vitamin C. Unless moldy, they’re safe to eat. Brown bananas last 2-3 days at room temperature, up to 10 days in the fridge, or 2 months in the freezer.
Use of Mayonnaise in Baking
Mayonnaise is the secret to this banana bread, acting as a leavening agent while adding moisture, volume, and flavor. Its blend of oil, eggs, and vinegar replaces multiple ingredients in baking.
Ingredients
- Overripe Bananas - Always use overripe bananas. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the bananas. In case you are using frozen bananas, thaw them first until they reach at room temperature.
- Mayonnaise - I use the regular store-bought mayonnaise. Use full-fat mayonnaise for this bread.
- Self Raising Flour - It is important to use self-raising flour for this bread to give it volume and height. To make self-raising flour add one cup of all-purpose flour and 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder in a bowl and whisk.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- Substitute the castor sugar with light or dark brown sugar that adds molasses giving it a rich, molasses-like flavor and a moist, tender texture. The natural moisture in brown sugar helps keep the bread soft, while its slightly coarse texture can also contribute to a pleasantly chewy crumb.
- If you enjoy the added texture and flavor of nuts, incorporate ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter. These nuts will provide a delightful crunch and enhance the overall taste of your baked goods.
- If you're a chocolate lover, enhance your banana bread by adding ½ cup of dark chocolate chips or morsels to the batter. This will create a delicious Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, combining the rich flavors of chocolate with the sweetness of bananas for a truly indulgent treat.
- For extra flavor, add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Cinnamon adds a warm, aromatic spice that complements the other ingredients and brings out a richer, more complex taste.
This recipe hasn't been tested with alternative substitutions or variations. If you choose to replace or include different ingredients, we'd love to hear about your experience. Please share your feedback in the comments section below!
Baking Pro Tips
1. Unless a recipe says otherwise, always use room-temperature ingredients. This helps them mix together smoothly and evenly, for perfect results every time.
2. Ditch the measuring cups and grab your digital scale. Weighing dry ingredients in grams ensures perfect accuracy and consistent results.
How to Make 4-Ingredient Banana Bread
Detailed Instructions Below! See the key steps here, then head to the recipe card below for full instructions.
1. Take a bowl and whisk together mashed bananas and mayonnaise. You may use a food process but I used a hand whisk.
2. Add sugar and whisk until incorporated.
3. Add the self-rising flour into the wet ingredients.
4. Mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
5. Pour the mixture in the 9 x 5 inch tin.
6. Bake at 350 F for 50 - 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
Serving Suggestions
Top the banana bread slices or the entire loaf with a generous layer of Cream Cheese Frosting. The frosting adds a rich, tangy sweetness that perfectly complements the moist, flavorful banana bread, creating a delicious contrast and elevating the overall taste.
Experts Tips
- Overripe Bananas: Make sure to use overripe bananas for this recipe as it will result in moist and tender crumb.
- Self-rising Flour: Use self-rising flour for this bread. Do not substitute it with all-purpose flour. (Use the method explained above to make self-rising flour yourself in case you do not have self-rising flour in your pantry.)
Recipe FAQs
No, you will never guess if there was a slight hint of mayonnaise in the bread.
Yes you can. Feel free to use the wholewheat flour, all-purpose flour or spelt flour. In case you are using a different flour, just make sure to add 3 teaspoons of baking powder.
No worries - just spread the yellow bananas in a baking tray over silicone mats. Place the tray in the oven at 350 F for about 15 minutes and take them out once they are dark brown or black in color. Peel them and use them in the recipe.
How to Store
Room Temperature
The simple Banana Bread will stay fresh for up to 2 days when stored in an airtight container. Keeping it sealed in an airtight container helps maintain its moisture and prevent it from drying out, ensuring that it remains soft and flavorful for a couple of days.
Refrigerator
The bread stays fresh for 3-4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This keeps its texture and flavor intact while preventing it from drying out and absorbing other odors.
Freezing Instructions
Wrap each bread piece in plastic wrap, then add a layer of foil for extra protection. Place the wrapped pieces in a Zip-loc bag and seal tightly. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months to maintain freshness and quality.
Did you make this recipe? Give it a 🌟 rating with a comment.
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Related Quick Bread Recipes
Recipe
Super Quick & Easy 4-Ingredients Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup mashed bananas (300 g) (about 3 medium sized bananas)
- 1 cup mayonnaise (230 g)
- ¾ cup castor sugar (170 g)
- 2 cup self-rising flour (240 g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 5 pan and set it aside. You can spray or line your pan with a parchment paper as well for easy removal from the pan.
- Take a medium sized bowl and sift the self-rising flour. Whisk and set aside.
- In another medium sized bowl mash the bananas.
- Add sugar to the bananas and mix until combined.
- Add the flour and mix until just combined.
- Pour the batter in the pan and bake for 50 minutes until the bread is golden brown in color. Insert a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Let the bread sit in the pan for 5 - 10 minutes before shifting it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
-
- Overripe Bananas: Make sure to use overripe bananas for this recipe as it will result in moist and tender crumb.
- Self-rising Flour: Use self-rising flour for this bread. Do not substitute it with all-purpose flour. To make self-raising flour add one cup of all-purpose flour and 1.5 teaspoon of baking powder in a bowl and whisk.
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