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My 101-Year-Old Grandma's Best Tip For Banana Bread Is A No-Brainer

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Because grandmas know best.

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Everyone loves their grandma, but I have to take a second to brag because my grandma is pretty exceptional, and something of a local celebrity here at Allrecipes. Even though she celebrated her 101st birthday in September, she's just as sharp and hilarious as she's ever been. I love to write about my Nana because she has strong opinions on just about everything, but specifically food.

But here's the thing—and don't tell her I said this—she's not the most prolific or amazing cook. As I wrote before, "Unlike many Allrecipes readers, I did not grow up with intricate pies and comforting casseroles gracing every visit to Grandma's." From heat-and-eat sides she passes off as homemade to Trader Joe's treats, my grandma is no stranger to a store-bought shortcut.

However, there are a few dishes she makes from scratch, and makes darn well. Banana bread is probably number one on the list. It was the one sweet treat she made for me and my sister as kids every time we visited, without fail—likely because it was a favorite of my grandpa's, too. And I'll be honest, I thought my grandma's banana bread came from a boxed mix (as was the case with so many of my other childhood favorite desserts).

When I called her recently to ask for her secret to her banana bread, I was surprised to hear her secret is really not so secret at all, but it's a tip that ensures the sweetest, most moist banana bread every time, no matter what recipe (or boxed mix) you use.

My Grandma's Best Tip for Banana Bread

"The bananas have to be really, really ripe," is what my Nana told me. It seems like a no-brainer, but your definition of ripe is probably not the same as my grandma's.

If you're picturing a yellow banana with brown spots, I'm sorry to say, you're wrong. We're really talking overripe, not ripe, with a dark brown-to-black color throughout the peel. The bananas should be so soft that they barely require mashing.

It may sound off-putting, but my Nana is not wrong. In fact, when I worked in a bakery, if the bananas we used for our banana bread mix were not ripe enough, we would put them on a sheet tray and bake them at a super low temperature until they were dark brown and so soft that the fruit practically slid out of the peel.

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Why Do Bananas Need to Be Ripe for Banana Bread?

The longer you allow a banana to ripen, the more the starches inside it break down into simple sugars. The pectin also breaks down, making it soften. Simply put, the sugar content goes up and the texture gets softer—two qualities you want for the base of your banana bread. The more natural sweetness and moisture in the fruit, the less you have to add to the final recipe.

You can also achieve the same result by freezing and thawing bananas; This tip actually took top spot in our taste test of tips for moist banana bread.

If you're impatient or can't wait for those bananas to brown on their own, there are many ways to ripen bananas faster. Or, sometimes, to speed up the process, I will mash my bananas and add a teaspoon or two of sugar and let it macerate for a few minutes while I prepare my other ingredients. This allows the bananas to release their natural sugars and juices, much like the ripening (or freezing and thawing) process.

Is my grandma's tip revolutionary? No. But it is one that will fundamentally improve your loaf. And to this day, her banana bread is still the best I've ever had, so heed her advice and let those bananas sit just a little longer. Oh, and one more tip from Nana: If a recipe ever calls for 2-3 bananas always go with 3. You're welcome!

I Made 3 Banana-bread Recipes By Ree Drummond, Alton Brown, And Curtis Stone. One Famous Chef's Use Of Oats Blew Me Away.

I made banana bread using recipes from famous chefs Ree Drummond, Alton Brown, and Curtis Stone.

Drummond's Bundt-style bread was interesting and not too sweet, and Stone's recipe was super moist.

I liked all three recipes, but Brown's was my favorite with its distinct, but lovely, flavor. 

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Banana bread is a great way to use up bananas at the end of the week. Plus it's easy to customize, whether you're sprinkling in spices or adding chocolate chips or nuts.

I tried recipes from Ree Drummond, Alton Brown, and Curtis Stone to see which one has the best banana bread.

Read on to see how the different recipes stacked up.

Drummond makes a classic banana bread — but in a Bundt pan Ree Drummond's ingredients are fairly straightforward. Paige Bennett for Insider

Overall, Drummond's recipe was pretty standard for banana bread as far as ingredients go, but using a Bundt pan elevated the baked good.

I was interested to see the addition of sour cream, and I was a little concerned it would make the flavor too tangy or the texture too moist.

This banana bread required a lot of attention, especially during and directly after baking There were lots of steps involved to successfully remove the bread from the pan. Paige Bennett for Insider

The process was straightforward: Cream the butter and sugar, add the wet ingredients, mix the dry ingredients separately, then slowly combine everything together. 

The real care came during the baking process.

I didn't fill the Bundt tin up all the way. Paige Bennett for Insider

First and foremost, it is important to only fill the Bundt pan about 2/3 of the way to give the mixture space to rise without overflowing.

Because I used a 6-cup Bundt pan, I also had to pay close attention to the baking time to prevent overcooking. I found it only needed to bake for 45 to 50 minutes rather than the 1 hour 10 minutes called for in the recipe.

The batter made enough for about two of these loaves. 

It took less than an hour for the bread to bake. Paige Bennett for Insider

On the first try, I successfully flipped the Bundt pan over on a cooling rack immediately after removing it from the oven.

But on my second attempt, the banana bread looked beautiful in the pan, so I tried to snap a few pictures before flipping it over — which was a big mistake.

It's important to flip the loaf out of the pan right away. Paige Bennett for Insider

By the time I got to flipping the Bundt-style loaf over, some spots had already stuck to the pan. 

Drummond's banana bread was tasty and not too sweet Ree Drummond's banana bread wasn't super sweet. Paige Bennett for Insider

Ree's recipe tasted like a standard banana bread, so the Bundt shape gave it a little something special.

It wasn't overly sweet, which was nice. If you don't have much of a sweet tooth, this is a good recipe to follow.

The edges were just slightly overdone and a bit harder to chew, but the middle was soft yet dense and slightly moist without being soggy or falling apart.

Brown's ingredient list was surprisingly simple Alton Brown includes oats in his banana bread. Paige Bennett for Insider

After following many of Brown's recipes and watching a lot of "Good Eats" on the Food Network, I have come to expect his ingredients to be complex. So I was pleasantly surprised to find a simple list.

I also liked that Brown swapped some of the plain flour for homemade toasted-oat flour for a heartier loaf.

I should've known the process would be difficult This recipe took the longest to make. Paige Bennett for Insider

I realized I spoke too soon about the simplicity of Brown's recipe as soon as I started reading the directions.

To start, I had to toast and pulverize some old-fashioned oats to make the homemade flour. 

I didn't have a food processor, so I used an immersion blender with a special attachment that works similarly (but not as effectively). I figured my resulting coarse oat flour would just add a unique texture to the final product.

Then, the steps were precise as far as mixing went, especially regarding the eggs. As Brown puts it, "A good batter is essentially an emulsion, so this slow addition of the eggs is critical."

It took a while to get everything mixed together exactly as specified.

I took the bread out early because it was starting to crisp up. Paige Bennett for Insider

Once the loaf was in the oven, I kept a close eye on it and actually pulled the banana bread out about 10 minutes early.

The exterior was starting to look quite dark and slightly caramelized.

Brown's banana bread had a really unique flavor from the oats The oats gave Alton Brown's bread a nice nutty flavor. Paige Bennett for Insider

Fresh from the oven, the banana bread was sinking in the middle and had a dark exterior. I was worried I did something wrong and overcooked the exterior and undercooked the middle, but I sliced a few pieces and found each held itself together very well.

It was love at first bite.

The toasted oats gave the loaf a slightly nutty flavor without actually including nuts. It was much sweeter than the first loaf, and the taste of banana came through clearly without being overpowering. 

Stone's recipe called for a lot of ingredients, including nuts and spices Curtis Stone's banana bread had the most ingredients. Paige Bennett for Insider

As far as ingredients go, this recipe had the longest list, which included whole-milk yogurt, toasted and chopped walnuts, and freshly grated nutmeg.

I was really puzzled by what to expect in terms of flavor and texture, but the smell of nutmeg and cinnamon sold me.

Despite the lengthy shopping list, the directions were simple It was easy to throw the batter together. Paige Bennett for Insider

Although there were a lot of ingredients to gather, the actual steps to make the banana bread were easy: Beat the eggs and sugar together, add the remaining wet ingredients one at a time, mix the dry ingredients, add them to the wet ingredients, and fold in the walnuts.

The recipe called for 1 1/2 cups of walnuts, which I thought was a lot for a standard-sized loaf. I don't love nuts in desserts, but I hoped for the best.

This loaf was done 20 minutes early. Paige Bennett for Insider

After noticing the first two loaves baked quicker than the recipes stated, I paid close attention to this banana bread as it baked. And good thing I did because it was ready to go about 20 minutes early.

After pulling it out of the oven, I worried that even 20 minutes early wasn't enough because the edges and top were dark. 

Stone's banana bread was super moist on the inside, but a bit overdone on the outside

Right after taking the first bite, I noticed the edges were crispy and overdone, but luckily they didn't leave an acrid taste in my mouth.

But the interior was so moist it was falling apart and couldn't hold its shape. I assumed the combination of mashed bananas, vegetable oil, and yogurt contributed to this ultra-moist texture.

As far as flavor goes, the addition of nutmeg and cinnamon was brilliant. These spices elevated the whole loaf, giving it a warm, cozy feel perfect for enjoying with coffee on a chilly morning.

The walnuts were fine and helped contrast the extra-soft inside of the loaf, but I could've done with fewer of them.

I enjoyed all 3 loaves, but Brown's recipe was my favorite  Alton Brown's toasted, nutty flavor won me over. Paige Bennett for Insider

I genuinely liked all of the banana breads and would happily make any of them again, but I enjoyed the distinct flavor of Brown's best.

I've had banana bread with oats in it before, but toasted oat flour took the bake to a whole new level for me. I liked that it added a hint of a nutty flavor without actual nuts.

Although the loaf was moist, it still held its shape. The edges were almost caramelized, too, which only added to the depth of flavor.

All three recipes ended up being pretty great. Paige Bennett for Insider

The other recipes were still delicious in their own right.

I certainly wouldn't mind making Ree's show-stopping banana-bread Bundt in the future, and I'll probably add cinnamon and nutmeg to every loaf I make from here on out after tasting Stone's recipe.

Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.

Want more recipes from these celebrity chefs? Try out some of their most popular dishes from their cookbooks:

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Mary Berry's 'perfect' Banana Bread Has A Delicious Twist To The Classic Recipe

You can't beat a slice of banana bread (Image: Getty)

Winter weather has arrived in the UK, and with the temperatures dropping outside, it's becoming more and more tempting to stay indoors and keep warm.

And there's no activity more cosy and better suited for the winter months than baking.

Whipping up something sweet and delicious in the kitchen can be really therapeutic, not to mention rewarding, as you'll have a treat to enjoy and share at the end of the process.

It doesn't have to be anything complicated either, as sometimes the best recipes are the simplest ones.

And there's one Mary Berry recipe that has become a real classic because of how simple - yet delicious - it is.

Banana bread pairs perfectly with the addition of chocolate chips (Image: Getty)

The iconic baker's classic banana bread recipe has been recreated for years by fans, and it's one of those treats that just hits the spot every time.

With the added fun twist of chocolate, this delicious bake is best enjoyed with a cup of tea as you cosy up inside, sheltered from the freezing wintry weather.

It's also a great way to use up any ripe bananas that you have lying around, and you can double up the recipe if you have loads that need to be used.

Here's everything you need to make this comforting loaf, which serves 6-8.

Ingredients

One ripe banana (peeled weight 100g/4oz)

One tbsp milk

50g/2oz soft butter or baking spread

75g/3oz plain flour

75g/3oz caster sugar

½ tsp bicarbonate of soda

½ tsp baking powder

One free-range egg

50g/2oz dark chocolate chips

50g/2oz dark chocolate

Method

Preheat the oven 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease and line a 450g/1lb loaf tin with baking paper.

Use a fork to mash the peeled banana in a mixing bowl. Add the remaining cake ingredients, except the chocolate chips, and beat with an electric hand whisk until combined and smooth.

Stir in the chocolate chips and spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf tin. Level the top.

Bake for 40–45 minutes or until well risen, shrinking away from the sides of the tin and golden-brown.

Set aside to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the optional decoration, break the chocolate into small pieces and add to a heatproof bowl.

Melt the chocolate in the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir regularly, until almost completely melted, then remove from the heat. The heat of the bowl will melt any remaining lumps.

Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag and pipe zig-zags across the top of the loaf. Set aside for the chocolate to set. Slice and serve.

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