Banana and Apple Bread
This moist banana and apple bread combines the natural sweetness of very ripe bananas with the crisp texture and subtle tang of fresh apples, creating a perfectly tender quick bread that's ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. Warm cinnamon ties the two fruits together beautifully, and the whole loaf comes together in just 15 minutes of prep with simple pantry staples.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Two large mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Box grater or sharp knife - For chopping or grating apples
- Fork or potato masher - For mashing bananas
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wire cooling rack
- Vegetable peeler - For peeling apples
- Aluminum foil - (optional)
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas - medium; mashed to about 1½ cups / 340g — the spottier the better
- 2 medium apples - about 1½ cups / 225g peeled and diced into ½-inch pieces; Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or Fuji recommended
- ½ cup unsalted butter - 113g, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup granulated sugar - 150g
- ¼ cup light brown sugar - 50g, packed
- 2 large eggs - at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream - 60ml; or full-fat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour - 240g; plus 1 extra tablespoon reserved for coating apples
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour - for coating the diced apples
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg - optional
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar - or coarse sugar; optional, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) with rack in the center position. Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting it overhang the long sides by 2 inches, then lightly grease the parchment and exposed pan sides.
- Peel, core, and dice the apples into ½-inch pieces. Toss them in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of flour until evenly coated; set aside.
- Peel the very ripe bananas and mash them with a fork or potato masher in a large bowl until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps. Measure out 1½ cups (340g).
- Whisk the melted butter into the mashed bananas, then whisk in both sugars, eggs one at a time, vanilla extract, and sour cream until the mixture is smooth and uniform.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) for about 30 seconds until evenly distributed. Make a well in the center.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula just until no dry flour is visible — do not overmix; the batter should be thick and slightly lumpy.
- Add the flour-coated apple pieces to the batter and gently fold them in with just a few strokes until evenly distributed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly into the corners. Sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top if using.
- Bake for 60–70 minutes, tenting loosely with foil around the 40-minute mark if the top is browning too quickly, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out and cool completely on the rack for about 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas: Peels should be heavily spotted or fully brown for the best sweetness and moisture — underripe bananas make the bread taste flat.
- Measure mashed bananas: Banana sizes vary widely; measuring after mashing ensures consistent results. Too much banana makes the bread gummy.
- Room temperature ingredients: Let eggs and sour cream sit out for 30 minutes before starting so they incorporate smoothly into the batter.
- Best apple varieties: Granny Smith adds a tart contrast, Honeycrisp stays firm and sweet, and Fuji offers a balance of both. Avoid Red Delicious — it turns mushy during baking.
- Don't overmix: Stir only until the flour disappears. Overmixing develops gluten and creates dense, tough bread.
- Flour-coated apples: Tossing the apple pieces in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf during baking.
- Storage: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. The flavor improves on day 2 as the fruits meld together.
- Freezing: Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap then foil and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for a few hours at room temperature.
- Muffin variation: Divide batter among 12 lined muffin cups (¾ full each) and bake at 350°F for 22–25 minutes.
- Optional add-ins: Fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, ¾ cup chocolate chips, or ½ cup raisins along with the apples for extra flavor and texture.