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Why You’ll Love My Recipe
Got a freezer full of overripe bananas but feeling a little tired of banana bread? This Banana Gingerbread Loaf is the perfect solution! It combines the moist, dense texture you love from banana bread with the warm, spiced flavors of classic gingerbread. Trust me, this loaf won’t last long!
If you don’t have any ripe bananas on hand, you can always bake up some Old Fashioned Gingerbread or my Pumpkin Gingerbread instead! Both are full of cozy spices that make delicious treats for fall and holiday baking.
Reader Review
This Ginger Banana bread is a definite Keeper. It was just to use up bananas that were too brown to eat, but now I find myself buying extra bananas just so they go dark and are available to bake this DELICIOUS, perfect bread. THANK YOU.
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This Banana Gingerbread Loaf is easy to make for bakers of any skill level!
- Total Time: You’ll have this treat on the table in about 70 minutes from start to finish.
- Variations: Why not top this delicious loaf with a batch of The BEST Cream Cheese Icing or some sweet Maple Frosting? It’s also wonderful served with a dollop of my Perfect Whipped Cream, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or chopped Old Fashioned Candied Pecans on top!
- Tools Needed: You will need two loaf pans, a hand mixer, a large bowl or stand mixer, a whisk, a medium bowl, and a cooling rack.
What You’ll Need For Ingredients
Bananas: This recipe is perfect if you have a stash of bananas in the back of your freezer, like I often do! Any bananas will work, but very ripe, spotted bananas give your loaf the most moisture and natural sweetness.
Sugar: This recipe calls for brown sugar because it pairs beautifully with the molasses and adds a warm, caramel-like taste. Karlynn’s Tip: You can try half brown sugar and half white sugar, or swap it entirely with white sugar if you prefer an even sweeter loaf!
Molasses: Molasses gives this loaf its deep color, rich flavor, and classic gingerbread taste. Karlynn’s Tip: For a lighter, sweeter taste, use fancy molasses. For a deeper, more robust flavor, choose regular cooking molasses!
All-Purpose-Flour: Flour is the base of your loaf, providing structure and working with your baking powder and baking soda to create a soft, tender crumb.
Spices: Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are the classic warm spice blend that makes gingerbread so comforting. Karlynn’s Tip: Feel free to adjust the amounts depending on your taste. Use less for a milder flavor or add a little more if you love bold spices!
How To Make A Banana Gingerbread Loaf
This is a brief overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients and step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat oven to 350°F, then grease and flour two loaf pans.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy, then beat in the eggs.
- Mix in the mashed bananas and the molasses.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add them to the wet mixture and mix until well-combined.
- Divide the batter between the loaf pans, and bake for 50-60 minutes.
- Remove the loaves from the oven, let them cool in the pans for 10-15 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Banana Gingerbread Loaf
- Tone Down the Banana Flavor: If you or your family aren’t big fans of a strong banana taste, try using cooking molasses instead of fancy molasses. It has a deeper, bolder flavor that becomes the dominant taste in the loaf! You can also increase the spices slightly to bring out more of those classic gingerbread notes.
- Customize the Add-Ins: This loaf is easy to dress up with your favorite mix-ins! Stir chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds into the batter for a little crunch, or add dark chocolate chips or chunks for extra richness. Dried fruits like raisins, cranberries, or finely chopped candied ginger also add lovely bursts of flavor. Feel free to experiment and make this loaf your own!
Storage Instructions
Bake it once and enjoy it for days! This Banana Gingerbread Loaf stores beautifully, making it perfect for breakfasts, snacks, or a cozy treat later in the week.
Refrigerator: Let your loaf cool completely, then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. It will keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: This loaf freezes very well! Once cooled, wrap the whole loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months, following USDA food safety guidelines. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying again!
More Delicious Quick Bread Recipes
If you love a good slice of homemade loaf, here are a few more cozy Quick Bread Recipes to try next:
- Use up any berries tucked away in your freezer with this bright and flavorful Lemon Saskatoon Loaf!
- My Pumpkin Bread / Loaf Recipe is sweet, moist, and always pleases the crowd.
- Quick bread is just as tasty when it’s savory! This Cheesy Onion Bread is the perfect side for your favourite soup or stew!
And just like that, you’ve got a cozy Banana Gingerbread Loaf ready to enjoy! With the natural sweetness of ripe bananas and the warm, spiced flavor of classic gingerbread, this loaf is perfect for breakfast, afternoon coffee, or as a cold-weather treat.
Give this recipe a try, make it your own, and don’t forget to share your results in the comments below! You know that I love hearing about your kitchen adventures.
Happy Baking!
Karlynn
Banana Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 1 cup brown sugar white if you want a sweeter loaf
- 2 eggs
- 3 cups of mashed bananas around 6-7 medium banana’s
- 1 cup of molasses, cooking molasses for deep dark flavour, fancy molasses for a lighter flavour
- 3 cups of flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon cloves
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour two loaf pans.
- Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs until combined.
- Mix in the banana and molasses until completely combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until completely mixed in.
- Divide the batter between the loaf pans and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
- Remove and cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pans onto a wire rack and cool completely.
- Store wrapped up and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Amanda M. says
I made these in muffin form and sprinkled some salted caramel finishing sugar on top. So good!!
Christine Peterson says
How long did you bake the muffins?
Treeva says
This Ginger Banana bread is a definite Keeper. It was just to use up bananas that were to brown to eat but now I find myself buying extra bananas just so they go dark and are available to bake this DELICIOUS perfect bread.THANK YOU .
Annette Williams says
Really great recipe and you cannot taste the banana! Very moist. My favourite recipe is use up over ripe bananas, thanks!
Roz says
Help Please 🙏
Do I use all purpose flour or do I need to buy a different flour?
Mr. Kitchen Magpie says
All purpose unless otherwise stated. I’ll update the recipe.