Most quick breads and loaf cakes depend on baking soda to rise, but here's my best recipe for banana bread made without baking soda. It relies on baking powder only as the leavening agent.
Everybody always needs a way to use up those ripe bananas that have gone too far to enjoy as is and are better suited for baking. You could make banana oat muffins or these cakey banana oatmeal cookies, or you could make a classic banana bread following the recipe below.
Jump to:
- The Role of Baking Soda in Banana Bread?
- Baking Soda Versus Baking Powder in Banana Bread
- Sometimes You Need Both Baking Soda And/Or Baking Powder
- Why You Might Not Want To Use Baking Soda
- What You Need To Make Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
- Optional Variations
- How It's Made
- Optional Toppings
- Other Banana Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
- Frequently asked questions
The Role of Baking Soda in Banana Bread?
In banana bread, baking soda does more than just help the loaf cake rise:
- it increases the pH of the batter, leading to a browner, much darker crumb and crust
- it tenderizes by reducing gluten formation in the batter
- it adds flavour, especially since most banana bread recipes call for 5 mL (1 teaspoon) or more of baking soda, which is quite a lot for such a small quantity of flour and batter.
Baking Soda Versus Baking Powder in Banana Bread
Old-school banana bread recipes are usually made with baking soda only and without baking powder. I gather that there was a time when baking powder wasn't as readily available, but also that the consistency of baking powder sold in grocery stores varied. Baking powder wasn't the reliable chemical leavener it is today.
Remember that baking soda is sodium bicarbonate and requires acidic ingredients to react to form carbon dioxide. The acidity in banana bread could come from the mashed bananas, which have a pH that is between 4 and 5.
Tip: Curious how baking soda works? Read more in this science breakdown of baking soda in baking.
Baking powder is made from sodium bicarbonate, acid(s), and a drying agent (or anti-caking agent) like cornstarch. It's a complete leavening agent and all you have to do is wet it and apply a little heat to make it react.
Sometimes You Need Both Baking Soda And/Or Baking Powder
There are a few quick bread recipes that rely on baking soda as a leavening agent. This eggless banana bread and this healthier pumpkin bread are made with only baking soda. These are older recipes passed down from my grandmother and made without eggs, so baking soda is necessary.
There were two instances where I found a combination of baking powder and baking soda worked better for the loaf cakes to rise properly and achieve the perfect texture
- this classic pumpkin bread is very moist and made with a large amount of pumpkin purée compared to the quantity of flour
- this delicious chocolate banana bread tended to collapse a little towards the bottom without both baking soda and baking powder
Why You Might Not Want To Use Baking Soda
I find baking soda, especially in some loaf cake recipes and quick breads, can provide too much flavour. While some tasters don't notice it, I find I'm particularly sensitive to it, and the flavour in some instances can verge on soapy.
What You Need To Make Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
Though in some recipes it's inevitable, I prefer the taste of banana bread without baking soda, which has a milder, more buttery flavour and a lighter, golden-brown colour with a pale-yellow crumb. Baking powder is a good substitute for baking soda in banana bread. A good rule of thumb is to use at least 5 mL (1 teaspoon) of baking powder for every cup of flour.
And though I couldn't get the pumpkin bread to work without baking soda, I am happy to report that banana bread without baking soda works beautifully, as shown in the recipe below. If you want to make banana bread without baking soda, here is what you will need:
- butter-use unsalted butter. If using salted butter, adjust the salt in the recipe to avoid create a banana bread that is too salty
- sugar-I have tested this recipe with white granulated sugar, brown sugar, or a mixture of the two. It all works. The flavour and appearance of the banana bread will change with different sugars
- eggs-I bake with large eggs. If you use smaller or larger eggs, this may impact the results
- banana-use very ripe bananas for the most flavour. Unripe, green bananas are higher in starch and the flavour is astringent and less developed. Use very ripe bananas that are browning
- flour-I bake with bleached all-purpose flour. Unbleached flour will work but may behave a little differently, especially if it absorbs moisture differently, and the resulting cake may be tougher and less tender.
- leavening-for this recipe, we are using baking powder only, no baking soda. Read about baking soda versus baking powder if you don't know the difference
- salt-I bake with Diamond Crystal Fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount.
Please see the recipe card for the exact ingredients and quantities.
Optional Variations
Some people like their banana bread plain, others like to add fun ingredients like chocolate chips or chopped nuts. Use up to 250 mL (1 cup) of add-ins in this recipe. Too many add-ins will weigh down the cake better, creating a denser loaf cake that may not bake evenly or that will take longer to bake properly.
How It's Made
You will use the creaming method for this banana bread. Alternatively, you can also use the muffin method, combining wet ingredients (eggs, mashed banana, vanilla, melted butter, sugar), separate from dry ingredients (flour, leavening, salt), and then combining the two bowls together. This may make the banana bread slightly denser.
Step 1: I like to start by mashing the bananas. Take the time to mash them well, using a fork (image 1). Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar(s) (image 2) and beat until light and fluffy, then add the eggs, one at a time (image 3).
Step 2: Whisk the dry ingredients in a separate bowl (image 4), then add them to the mixer (image 5) alternating with the mashed banana and vanilla (image 6). End with the dry ingredients, creating a thick batter (image 7). Add the add-ins at the end of mixing, but do not overmix. You can fold them in by hand.
Step 3: Transfer the batter to a loaf pan. I use a non-stick gold-touch loaf pan that is buttered and lined with parchment paper on the bottom. Smooth the top of the banana bread, then transfer it to the oven and bake until the edges are set and start to pull away from the pan (image 9). Use a cake tester to ensure the middle is baked. Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before unmoulding it onto a cooling rack.
Optional Toppings
If you want to jazz up your banana bread, you can top it with one of these frostings:
Other Banana Recipes
If you love baking with bananas or you have a lot of ripe ones ready to be used, try any of these banana recipes:
If you tried this recipe for the best banana bread without baking soda (or any other recipe on my website), please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
📖 Recipe
Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
Ingredients
- 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 10 mL baking powder
- 5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 175 grams unsalted butter softened
- 200 grams granulated sugar or a mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar
- 2 large egg(s) room temperature
- 5 mL pure vanilla extract
- 300 grams mashed banana roughly 3 ripe bananas, approximately 450 grams with peel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ºF (175 °C). Butter and flour an 8½ x4½-inch (21.5x11.5 cm) loaf pan OR a 9x5-inch (23x12.5 cm) loaf pan, then line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar for at least 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl often to make sure the mixture is evenly whipped.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing in between each addition. Mix in the vanilla, if using, or add it when you add the banana.
- Stir in the flour mixture, alternating with the banana, beginning and ending with flour.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf cake pan. Smooth the top to even it out.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes for a 9x5" loaf or up to 75 minutes for an 8.5"x4.5" pan, until the edges are a deep golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe in a 9-x5-inch pan, an 8.5x4.5-inch pan, and also a small 9x4-inch Pullman pan. All three work well. Don't use a pan smaller than this because the cake won't bake properly.
- Use the largest bananas you can find for this recipe: I used a pound of bananas and after peeling, I was left with roughly 330 grams of fruit, which works out to 330 mL (1⅓ cups). This recipe could accommodate up to 375 mL (1½ cups) of mashed banana but don't use more than that because you may end up with a gummy layer at the bottom.
- This recipe calls for Diamond Crystal fine Kosher salt. If using regular table salt, add half the amount or the recipe may be too salty!
- Make sure the bananas are very ripe (black even).
- If you are using frozen bananas for this recipe, please make sure to do the following:
- defrost the bananas
- peel the bananas and place in a strainer set over a bowl
- press very gently to squeeze out the liquid
- either discard the banana liquid OR place the liquid in a saucepan and boil it down to a couple tablespoons, stirring often so that it doesn't burn. Add this banana concentrate to the bananas and proceed with recipe.
- If you want to make a fancier banana bread, add any of the following:
- 250 mL (1 cup) chocolate chips
- 250 mL (1 cup) chopped walnuts or chopped pecans
- 5 mL (1 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 10 mL (2 tsp) ground cardamom
- 3.75 mL (¾ tsp) ground nutmeg
- You can also use a thermometer to check if your cake is done baking and the internal temperature should register around 212 ºF or 100 ºC when it's done.
- If you don't have eggs or are allergic, try this eggless banana bread recipe.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Frequently asked questions
If your loaf cake is dense, it could be that your ratio of wet ingredients to dry ingredients was off. Did you measure the bananas before adding them to the batter? Often people add too much banana, leading to a dense banana bread.
You may need to add more leavening agent if you want to try to add more banana to this recipe, but I don't recommend adding more than 375 mL (1.5 cups) of mashed banana with this recipe.
Make sure to check if your cake is done with a cake tester and a thermometer (internal temperature around 212 ºF or 100 ºC when baked). If there's a gummy layer at the bottom of the banana bread, it could be that your ratio of wet to dry ingredients was off. Did you add extra banana? Or did you defrost your bananas to make the cake? If so, the mashed banana will end up very wet, and I recommend straining the liquid and cooking it down to evaporate some of the water before mixing it into the batter.
Kim says
Craved banana bread but ran out of baking soda. I was nervous at first but it came out perfect. This recipe is delish!
Rohit Kulan says
I made it, and my mom said that it was better than anything that she ever made.
Tea says
Can I use this recipe with a muffin pan?? I can't seem to find my loaf pan
Janice says
Hi Tea, I think this recipe will work great in muffin pans! I think it will make about 12 muffins and the baking time will be reduced, start checking them after 20 minutes, but I suspect they may take 25 minutes even. Let me know how it goes!
Massiel Caceres says
This was delicious!
Amelie says
So nice absolutely love this recipe
Fen says
Hi, is this a mistake, you say;
Bake for 60–65 minutes for a 9x5" loaf or up to 75 minutes for an 8.5"x4.5" pan.
Shouldn’t it be the shorter time for the smaller loaf, not longer?
Thanks
Janice says
Hi, Thanks for your comment. I find taller cakes tend to take longer to bake. In this case, in the smaller pan, the batter fills more of the pan, which is more narrow. As always, I highly recommend using a few different techniques for checking if the cake is done baking, rather than the oven timer. I hope that makes sense and if you can, drop by once you've baked the cake to let us know how long it took in your cake pan! Happy baking!
Fen says
I’m sorry, so the times are actually correct?
Thanks
Janice says
Hi! Yes! But really, always use a cake tester to double check. Your oven and the material of your pan will have an impact on baking time. The baking times are just a suggestion based on my tests 😉
Hope that is clear! Happy baking!
Fen says
Thanks for the additional feedback Janice, really appreciated!
F
Diane says
Can I make the 1X recipe with 2 Bananas?
Janice Lawandi says
Hi Diane, If you use less banana, the cake will likely bake faster and be a little less moist, but the recipe will still work. Because bananas vary greatly in size, I prefer to weigh the bananas after peeling and I aim for a total of 300 grams. If your bananas are very large, it's possible, two bananas will get you to that weight, but I can't say for sure. I hope that helps!
Cara says
I made this recipe using dark chocolate chips and pecans and used 1/2 white sugar and 1/2 brown sugar which gave them kind of a caramelized crunch to them ! Also put in the cinnamon and vanilla and they were the BEST !! Great recipe and would definitely make again ! Thank You
Ivy says
This recipe worked great! I was able to make some delicious banana bread 🙂