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Moist Banana Bread Without Loaf Pan

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This banana bread without a loaf pan recipe is ultra moist and delicious. It has a super moist and buttery texture, with brown sugar flavors that your family will love. This will be your go-to banana bread recipe.

Sliced banana bread on parchment paper. It is surrounded by walnuts and bananas
Moist banana bread that was baked without a loaf pan

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No loaf pan? No problem! You can bake delicious banana bread using the pans that you already have in your kitchen. 

This simple banana bread recipe uses basic ingredients that are easy to find. 

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Ultra moist and rich
  • Simple, easy to find ingredients
  • Great way to use up your overripe bananas
  • Surprisingly BETTER than making than banana bread baked in a loaf pan. Less edges equals more moisture, such a great thing!
  • Easy to make! Prep time is only 20 minutes
Banana bread that was baked without a loaf pan. It is sliced and on a table.
Look at how moist it is!

FAQ’s: How To Make Banana Bread Without Loaf Pan

What kind of pans can I use for banana bread?

If you do not have a loaf pan, you can use a muffin pan, a cake pan, or a square pan. 

What kind of pan is best for banana bread?

Traditionally, banana bread is baked in a metal loaf pan. However, using a 8×8-inch square pan will yield amazing results.

How do you make bread not in a loaf pan?

You’ll follow the same steps for making the batter. However, you’ll need to adjust bake time depending on the pan that you use. 

Key Ingredients To Make Banana Bread Without A Loaf Pan

Ingredients on a table: bananas, eggs, flour, salt, brown sugar, vanilla extract, sour cream, greek yogurt, and cinnamon
Simple ingredients that you already have
  • Bananas: They should be mashed. Just like making banana pancakes, over-ripe bananas will give you the best results.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour can also work. I have yet to try with whole wheat flour.
  • Baking Soda: Leavening agent.
  • Salt: An essential ingredient to all recipes
  • Ground Cinnamon: Adds warmth to this easy banana bread recipe
  • Unsalted Butter: Room Temperature. That butter flavor is hard to resist!
  • Brown Sugar: Pairs well with the cinnamon and the bananas
  • Eggs: Must be room temperature
  • Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: Adds a TON of moisture to the delicious banana bread. In recipe testing, I found no difference between these two ingredients.
  • Vanilla Extract: 
  • Optional Chopped Walnuts: Highly recommended You can also add pecans or chocolate chips. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can even add macadamia nuts.
spreading butter on  a slice of banana bread that was baked without a loaf pan
Butter is perfect for this moist banana bread

Ingredient Substitutions For Best Banana Bread Recipe

  • All-Purpose Flour: Bread flour can also work. I have yet to try with whole wheat flour.
  • Ground Cinnamon: You can add nutmeg, which will pair well with the rest of the ingredients in this recipe. If you have neither, then leave them out.
  • Baking Soda: If you don’t have baking soda, you can try this moist banana bread recipe without baking soda
  • Unsalted Butter: If needed, you can use salted butter in this recipe. Make sure to omit the salt.
  • Brown Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
  • Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: Use an extra mashed banana

Step By Step Photos To Make Banana Bread Without Loaf Pan

Scroll down for the printable recipe card

Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Adjust the oven rack to the lower 1/3rd position so prevent the top of the bread from over-browning. 

Mashing bananas with a fork in a glass mixing bowl
Correct consistency for the mashed bananas

Place the bananas in a mixing bowl. Mash bananas with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.

combining flour, sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a glass mixing bowl

In a medium bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.

Creaming butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for three minutes until smooth. 

Adding an egg into the bowl of a stand mixer then beating with the paddle attachment

Add the eggs one at a time into the stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until each egg is incorporated into the mixture.

sour cream, greek yogurt, bananas, vanilla extract in a stand mixer

Then, add the sour cream, mashed bananas, and the vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until combined. 

Adding flour into a stand mixer then beating until all the ingredients are combined
Stop mixing once all ingredients are combined

Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture into the stand mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until all of the ingredients are combined and there are no more dry flour bits.

Adding walnuts into the banana bread batter
Walnuts are optional but highly recommended!

OPTIONAL Fold the chopped walnuts into the batter with a silicon spatula.

Grease an 8×8-inch square pan or cake pan. Pour the batter into the pan until it is 75% full. (Check notes for instructions on using different-sized pans).

The banana bread batter in a 8x8-inch square pan

Bake for 55-65 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, cover the banana bread with loose aluminum foil to prevent the top from over-browning. (Check notes for bake time)

Let cool and serve by itself or with these banana bread toppings.

Tips For Making This Banana Bread Recipe Without Loaf Pan

Use Over-Ripe Bananas

You know those ugly brown bananas that have been sitting on your counter all week? Those are the bananas that work best in this recipe. 

A very ripe banana with brown spots has a ton of sweetness compared to a banana that is still green.

banana bread that was baked in a square pan. It is on parchment paper. There are walnuts and bananas.

Do Not Over-mix The Batter

Over-mixing the batter will develop the gluten in the flour, which is NOT what we want for this recipe! 

When you overmix the batter, it will lead to a tough and chewy texture. For a bread recipe like simple greek yogurt bread, then we should mix and knead as much as possible. However, that is the opposite of what we want for banana bread.

Here is a helpful YouTube Video by Benjamin The Baker showing the negative effects of overmixing batter.

Make Sure Not To Over-bake The Banana Bread

Over-baking will cause it to dry out. For best results, use a toothpick to determine that the banana bread is fully baked and ready. 

The best way to check the doneness is by using a toothpick. Insert a toothpick or cake tester in the center of the banana bread. It is ready when there are moist crumbs on the toothpick and no wet batter. If there is wet batter, bake for longer so that it doesn’t have a sunken middle.

Slices of banana bread on a wood table

How To Store Your Moist Banana Bread Without Loaf Pan

You will need to store your banana bread properly if you want to keep it moist.

To store, simply wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Afterwards, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag. This will help keep your banana bread moist.

Your banana bread will last at room temperature for up to two days. 

If you need to store it for longer than two days, you can place it in the refrigerator or freezer. 

Other Recipes You May Like

The Famous Royal Hawaiian Banana Bread Recipe

Easy and Moist Banana Bread Without Baking Soda

Easy Sourdough Banana Pancakes With Discard

How Long Does Banana Bread Last Unrefrigerated

Moist Vanilla Sourdough Cupcakes With Buttercream Frosting

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banana bread baked without a loaf pan. It is sliced and on parchment paper surrounded by walnuts and bananas.
5 from 7 votes

Moist Banana Bread Without Loaf Pan

This banana bread without a loaf pan recipe is ultra moist and delicious. It has a moist and buttery texture that your family will love.
Xena Kai
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Servings

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Recipe Card

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 Bananas mashed
  • 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 Teaspoons Baking Soda
  • 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/2 Cup Butter room temperature
  • 3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs room temperature
  • 1/3 Cup Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
  • 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts optional

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Adjust the oven rack to the lower 1/3rd position so prevent the top of the bread from over-browning. 
  • Place the bananas in a mixing bowl. Mash bananas with a fork or potato masher. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, combine the all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high speed for three minutes until smooth. 
  • Add the eggs one at a time into the stand mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until each egg is incorporated into the mixture. Then, add the sour cream, mashed bananas, and the vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed until combined. 
  • Add the dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture into the stand mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until all of the ingredients are combined and there are no more dry flour bits.
  • OPTIONAL Fold the chopped walnuts into the batter with a silicon spatula.
  • Grease an 8×8-inch square pan or cake pan. Pour the batter into the pan until it is 75% full. (Check notes for instructions on using different-sized pans).
  • Bake for 55-65 minutes. At the 30-minute mark, cover the banana bread with loose aluminum foil to prevent the top from over-browning. (Check notes for bake time)

Notes

  • Check my post for detailed step-by-step photos of the entire recipe.
  •  
  • Batter Level For Different-Sized Pans: The type of pan you use changes how much batter to put into the pan. I used an 8×8-inch square pan and filled it ½ of the way. For a cake pan, fill ½ of the way. For a muffin pan, fill to the top.
  • Can I use a Cake Bundt Pan? There isn’t enough batter to make a bundt cake. However, if you only have a bundt pan, then go for it. Just know that you will not get a cake.
  • Baking Time: Baking time is dependent on the type of pan that you use and your oven. For an 8×8-inch square pan, it takes roughly one hour. If you are using a muffin pan, then it will take roughly 45 minutes. Make sure to use the toothpick test that your banana bread is done. 
  • Toothpick Test: your banana bread is ready when you insert a toothpick into the center and there are a few crumbs on it. If the toothpick has wet batter, it still needs to bake for longer or else you’ll end up with a sunken middle. Make sure not to bake for longer than needed or else you won’t have moist banana bread.
  • Storing: Your banana bread will last at room temperature for up to four days. If you need to store it for longer, you can put it in the refrigerator or freezer.
  • Other Recipes You May Like:

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5 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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