Mary Berry Banana Bread Recipe

This Mary Berry-style banana bread is a classic, comforting loaf with a soft, moist crumb, a gently caramelised crust, and plenty of real banana flavour. It’s lightly sweet, beautifully buttery, and just the thing with a cup of tea. The method is straightforward and beginner-friendly, with no fancy equipment needed. From start to finish, it takes about 1 hour 15 minutes, most of which is hands-off baking time.

Ingredients

For the Banana Bread

• 175g light muscovado sugar (or caster sugar)
• 100g unsalted butter, softened (plus extra for greasing)
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 300g peeled weight)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but lovely)

Optional Add-Ins

• 75g walnuts, chopped
• 75g chocolate chips

Optional Topping

• 1 banana, split lengthways
• 1 tbsp demerara sugar, for sprinkling

How to Make Mary Berry Banana Bread Recipe

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Grease a 900g (2lb) loaf tin and line the base and long sides with baking parchment for easy lifting.
• Mash the bananas: Peel and mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine and will give you little pockets of banana in the finished loaf.
• Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until well combined and slightly lighter. This helps the loaf bake up tender rather than heavy.
• Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. If the mixture looks like it’s starting to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour and carry on.
• Stir in banana, vanilla, and milk: Mix in the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and milk until evenly combined.
• Fold in dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the self-raising flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Add to the bowl and fold gently until you no longer see streaks of dry flour. Try not to overmix.
• Add extras (optional): Fold in walnuts and or chocolate chips, if using. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the top.
• Top and bake: If you like, lay a split banana on top and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
• Cool properly: Leave the loaf in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack. This prevents a soggy bottom and makes slicing easier.
• Slice and serve: Once fully cool, slice into thick pieces. If you want to dress it up, serve with salted butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey.

Tips

Why did my banana bread sink in the middle?

The usual culprits are underbaking, opening the oven door too early, or using bananas that were very large and watery. Bake until the centre is truly set, and check with a skewer right in the middle.

How do I keep banana bread moist, not stodgy?

Use very ripe bananas for moisture and sweetness, but avoid overmixing once the flour goes in. Gentle folding keeps the crumb soft and prevents a dense, gummy loaf.

What if the top is browning too fast?

If the loaf is getting dark before the centre is done, loosely cover the tin with foil for the last 15 to 20 minutes. This slows browning while the middle finishes baking.

Can I make it less sweet?

Yes. Reduce the sugar to 150g without affecting the structure too much. The riper your bananas, the less you will miss the extra sugar.

How do I get neat slices?

Let the loaf cool completely, then use a serrated bread knife. For ultra-neat slices, chill the loaf for 30 minutes before cutting.

Serving Suggestions

• Warm, lightly toasted, and spread with salted butter
• With cream cheese and a drizzle of honey
• Alongside fresh berries and Greek yogurt for breakfast
• With a mug of tea or coffee as an afternoon treat

Storage

Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If your kitchen runs warm, keep it somewhere cool and out of direct sunlight.

Refrigerator

Refrigerate for up to 5 days in a well-sealed container. Bring slices to room temperature before eating, or toast gently to restore softness.

Freezing

Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in cling film and foil, or use a freezer bag. Defrost overnight at room temperature, or toast slices straight from frozen.

Nutrition

• Calories: 295 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 44 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 6 g
• Sodium: 220 mg

Nutrition values are estimates and will vary depending on ingredients, add-ins, and portion size.

FAQs