Best Banana Bread: How Many Bananas Do You Need?

Oftentimes, baking can be an exact science which can feel a little daunting – especially for novice bakers. However, the great thing about banana bread and most banana bread recipes is that when it comes to the bananas – things can be more flexible in terms of what sort of bananas to use (and even how many). Although there IS a secret number of how many bananas you’ll need for the PERFECT banana bread – but you’ll have to read on to find out!

How ripe should my bananas be?

Many people think that ‘the riper the better’ for baking banana bread. But the truth is, you can really use any banana – as long as it’s not super green. If your bananas are brown (or even black), remember you can peel and freeze them to use later in any banana bread recipe. Riper bananas tend to be sweeter – so many recipes call for “overripe” bananas – but it’s not really necessary.

What if I don’t have fully ripe bananas?

If your bananas aren’t as ripe as you’d like them to be for your banana bread recipe, you can always put your less ripe (more green) bananas in a low oven (300° F) for 20 minutes to soften them up a bit.

How should I store my bananas?

The best way to store your Chiquita bananas is in a fruit bowl or on a hanging hook at room temperature. Never put a green banana in the fridge, as it won’t ripen, and its skin will turn black. If you want to prevent your bananas from going brown too quickly, you can buy a little time by covering the crown (where the bananas join together) in tin foil.

How do I make perfect banana bread?

So you made it to the most important part of this page! Chiquita’s biggest secret for the perfect banana bread is…. drum roll….. our very own “Chiquita Best Banana Bread” recipe. This classic banana bread recipe has THE perfect number of bananas you need for a perfect banana bread every time.

Chiquita’s best banana bread

For this classic banana bread recipe, FIVE is the ‘magic number’ of standard-sized bananas you’ll need. The recipe requires four very ripe bananas for the batter and one fully ripe banana for the topping. For the four very ripe bananas, the browner the skin the better. For the fully ripe banana, a fruit with a bright yellow skin or a few ‘sugar spots’ is perfect. You will also need:

5 tbsp sunflower oil

1½ cups wheat flour

¾ cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 pinch of salt

• Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C. This is a classic, standard temperature for many baked recipes.
• Step 2: In a bowl, mash the four very ripe Chiquita bananas with a fork and then simply fold in the rest of the ingredients until they are well incorporated. This is one of the great things about this recipe. In other recipes, you would need two or even three separate bowls – one for the mashed banana and another two for the wet and dry ingredients – but this recipe is very straightforward and with less mess to clean up!
• Step 3: Pour the batter into a lined cake tin. To get the classic banana bread shape you’ll need a standard loaf tin. These days, there are tons of great non-stick and even silicone tins on the market, but we still recommend lining the tin for easy removal of the loaf.
• Step 4: Peel the banana reserved for the topping and cut it in half lengthwise. Carefully place the two pieces on top of the batter and bake for around 50-60 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a skewer into the middle of the banana bread and if it comes out clean, you’re done!

So now you know the secret number of bananas to make (Chiquita’s) best banana bread! And not to mention, some handy tips on how to freeze brown bananas and ripen green bananas if need be. Now go forth and pick up a bunch or two of Chiquita bananas and get baking. We’ve got you!