Old-Fashioned Banana Bread (with mayonnaise)

If you’ve been on a search for the best banana bread recipe out there, search no more! This one is absolutely perfect! Best of all, this Old-Fashioned Banana bread recipe is super easy to whip up in a hurry! It’s loaded with flavor. . .and thanks to a secret ingredient (mayonnaise!) it’s moist, flaky, and super tasty!

Why Bake with Mayonnaise?

I recently baked a Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake, which was delicious. In that post I covered the ins and out of baking with mayonnaise. This creamy concoction (which most people have in their fridge) is basically comprised of egg yolks, oil, and vinegar, three ingredients often used in baking. It’s the perfect substitute!

Baking with mayonnaise is something that dates back to the depression era. It really took off in the 1950s when a recipe for Chocolate Mayonnaise cake went viral. (Pretty sure “going viral” had a slightly different meaning back then.)

When I posted about my Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake experience on Facebook, a friend reached out to me to tell me about a banana bread recipe that included mayonnaise.

I started browsing the web and saw several recipes for banana bread made with mayonnaise. I landed on the Blue Plate Mayonnaise site and settled on their recipe. It seemed easy. And, best of all, it called for three ripe bananas. I just happened to have three ripe bananas on hand.

Baking with Overripe Bananas

I’ve posted several banana-based recipes over the past few months, from my Caramel Banana Cake to my Cookie Butter Banana Muffins to my Easy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. I’m so crazy about bananas (and always have so many on hand) that I did a full post titled 20 Amazing Ways to Use Ripe Bananas.

One would think I had covered the topic thoroughly. But, no. I still hadn’t found the best-ever banana bread.

Now I have. And no doubt you’ll agree after you taste this easy recipe for mayonnaise banana bread.

Old-Fashioned Banana Bread Ingredient List

Wondering what you’ll need to make this recipe? You’ll find a full printable recipe at the bottom of this post, but for now, here’s what you’ll need. (I’m guessing you have most of these items in your pantry or fridge right now!)

• large bananas (ripe or overripe)
• whole fat mayonnaise (add a full cup if your bananas are small/medium in size)
• room temperature egg (not pictured…sorry!)
• sugar
• vanilla extract
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• chopped pecans
• chocolate chips

How to make this easy Banana Bread Recipe

This recipe comes together so quickly and easily. You’re going to enjoy the process, I promise. It’s a quick bread that doesn’t require yeast or rising time.

Here’s how you whip up this recipe:

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare your pan. I used a bundt pan because I don’t have a proper loaf pan. Spray with non-stick spray. In a large bowl mash the three bananas.

Add the mayonnaise, egg, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. (I always use large eggs to add more moisture.)

Mix well. Don’t worry about making it smooth. The bananas need to maintain some texture.

Merge sugar, flour, baking powder and salt in a separate medium bowl and whisk together. Slowly work dry ingredients into your wet ingredients

Mix until incorporated. (You could use an electric hand mixer but it’s not necessary.)

Add chocolate chips and pecans.

Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown. (Times will vary based on your pan. A loaf pan will require more time, up to an hour!)

Remove from oven and cool in the pan for a few minutes.

Turn out onto a wire cooling rack.

Sprinkle powdered sugar on top.

Slice and serve. This banana bread is really good warm. The bits of melted chocolate are creamy and delicious and the crunch of the pecans is perfect. Slather some butter on top and you’ll be swooning!

This is a great recipe, y’all!

This banana bread is rich and moist, but it’s also light and fluffy, thanks to the mayonnaise. Mayo always makes baked goods lighter than air. (Just one more reason to bake with it.)

Best Banana Bread Ever

This is the best banana bread recipe I’ve tried (and trust me, I’ve tried a lot of them). Until now I hadn’t found one that I loved as much as this one.

If you had told me I’d fall for a mayonnaise-based recipe, I would’ve said you were crazy. But I’m here to tell you, this is my favorite one so far. I loved it so much that I passed it off to a friend to keep from eating the whole thing by myself. (Talk about temptation!)

I can’t wait to bake it again. Maybe next time I’ll mix things up a bit–add or take away some ingredients. The possibilities are endless!

Variations on this Recipe

• No mayonnaise on hand? Add a couple of eggs and some sour cream or Greek yogurt.
• Spice it up! Add a teaspoon of cinnamon and half a teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice to the recipe.
• Allergic to nuts? Add chopped dates instead.
• Add peanut butter to the top of the cake while warm and allow it to drizzle down the sides.
• Looking for a more caramelized flavor? Use a cup of brown sugar instead of white and drizzle caramel on top. Add a half teaspoon of maple extract in place of the vanilla extract.
• Want to turn this into a Hummingbird cake recipe? Add pineapple, coconut and a bit of coconut milk in place of some of the mayonnaise.

Questions People are Asking about this Banana Bread Recipe

Can you taste the mayonnaise in this banana bread?

Absolutely not. You don’t pick up on any mayonnaise flavor at all.

Do I have to add the chocolate chips and pecans?

Nope! Not every loves banana nut bread and some folks don’t love chocolate. (Who are these people, anyway???) Just make this recipe your own.

Can I bake this recipe in muffin cups?

Absolutely. This banana bread will make amazing muffins or mini loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 16 minutes or until the muffins spring back to the touch.

Can I bake this recipe with whole wheat flour?

Yes. It might affect the density of the bread a little, but it should be fine.

Does this banana bread need to be refrigerated?

No, you don’t have to refrigerate. Just place in an airtight container or wrap in plastic wrap. That said, if you do choose to refrigerate, it will stay fresh a few days longer. And if you’re not able to eat it all right away you can always freeze it for later. Wrap tightly. You can store it in the freezer for up to two months.

Can this yummy chocolate chip banana bread be made into a cake?

Yep! Just bake as per directed in two 8″ round pans.

More Banana Recipes from Out of the Box Baking

I’m crazy about bananas and love to bake with them. And it seems like I’ve always got overripe bananas on hand. (I buy them and then forget to eat them.) So, I’ve been forced to come up with lots of new banana-themed recipes. Check out some of my favorites:

20 Amazing Ways to Use Ripe Bananas in 2022: Check out my go-to list for using up bananas once they’ve ripened.

Best Banana Pudding with Biscoff Cookies: This banana pudding is different from any you’ve ever had. It’s got the delicious flavor of Biscoff cookies.

Caramel Banana Cake: Warm, buttery, caramelly, sweet. . .and loaded with rich banana flavor. This Caramel Banana Cake is absolutely perfect all year ’round!

Cookie Butter Banana Muffins: If you’re a fan of cinnamon, spice, and everything nice, then this yummy recipe for my Cookie Butter Banana Muffins will be just the ticket! They are simple to make and have a light fluffy cake-like texture that you simply don’t find in most banana-based products.

Other Mayonnaise Inspired Baking

This moist banana bread recipe is perfect because of the secret ingredient: mayonnaise. Whether you tell your guests it’s in there (or not) is up to you! But now that you see how simple it is to add extra flavor, moisture, and fluff, you’ll want to add it to everything.

Need some ideas?

I recently baked a new cornbread recipe that includes mayo. Whether you like your cornbread plain or sweet, in muffin form or baked in a square pan, this doctored cornbread mix is perfect. It’s super easy and so incredibly tasty. And, thanks to the addition of mayonnaise it’s rich and decadent.

Then I opted to bake some Light and Fluffy Biscuits with mayonnaise in the recipe. If you’re looking for a super easy, tender biscuit, you’ll love this one. These mayonnaise-based biscuits are flaky, tasty, and so, so easy to make! I just shared the recipe for these biscuits on the weekend potluck over at South your Mouth. You guys should check it out!

I know. I was becoming something of an addict.

You’ll become an addict, too. I think you’ll fall in love with this new way of baking! Stick around for more mayonnaise-based recipes over the next few days and weeks. And please let me know your thoughts after you try this delicious traditional banana bread recipe!

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