I Tried the Internet’s Most Popular Banana Bread and I Get Why Everyone Says “It’s the Best I’ve Ever Eaten”

Banana bread is one of those treats that I feel like everyone has a recipe for. Maybe it’s passed down from your grandmother or a recipe that you developed yourself when everyone was making banana bread during the pandemic. Whatever it may be, I’m not surprised when someone tells me they have “the best” banana bread recipe out there. And yet, when it comes to actually baking these recipes, I slice into these loaves and often feel thoroughly disappointed.

So in an effort to find the actual best recipe out there, I turn to foodie gods on the internet. When you search “best banana bread” on Google, the first recipe to pop up is one from Sally’s Baking Addiction. I’m a fan of Sally McKenney and her recipes; they have yet to disappoint me. And since her recipe is one of the most popular and has hundreds of five-star reviews, I figured it was worth giving her recipe a shot. So I tied on my apron and grabbed the ripe bananas on the table, and got to baking. 

Get the recipe: My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9×5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a medium-size mixing bowl. Set aside.

Beat together the brown sugar and room temperature unsalted butter. Add in the eggs one at a time, then once incorporated, add in the plain yogurt and mashed bananas.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, beating on low. Once everything is incorporated, transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan.

Bake in the oven for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the pan to a cooling rack and leave it to cool for 1 to 2 hours before removing, slicing, and serving.

There’s a reason this banana bread is one of the best on the internet; it’s that good. It’s fluffy but not too dry, and the taste isn’t overly sweet. The sweetness from the brown sugar and banana is perfectly balanced thanks to the tangy yogurt.

I’m also impressed with how this bread really looks like a loaf. A lot of banana breads I’ve made come out a little flat and dense, but this one fluffed up nicely and gives you really full, thick slices. The crust also has that perfect crunchy texture you want for the outside of a banana bread, and tastes almost caramelized from the sugar.

Needless to say, I think this might be my new go-to banana bread recipe. It’s the picture-perfect loaf, and it’s everything I hope a banana bread would be. Like I said, there’s a reason why it’s one of the most popular online. It deserves all the hype!

Add in nuts or chips: For this loaf I decided to keep it plain, but the recipe says you can also add in nuts such as walnuts or pecans if you choose. I also have a feeling chocolate chips would be delicious here. Because who doesn’t love chocolate chip banana bread? Fold in 1/3 to 1/2 cup of nuts or chocolate chips before transferring the batter to the pan. I also suggest sprinkling some on top for that wow effect!

Use sour cream: This recipe says the yogurt and sour cream can be used interchangeably in this recipe, so if you don’t have plain yogurt in the fridge but have a container of sour cream instead, you can use it!

Add another banana: If you prefer a denser banana bread and have even more ripe bananas to use, why not add in another one? While I do feel this bread was perfect for my preferences, if you prefer a loaf that is more resemblant of pound cake, you could add in another mashed banana to give it that texture. Plus, more bananas to use up! If you’re really into the banana flavor, feel free to add in the peels as well.

Get the recipe: My Favorite Banana Bread Recipe