View source for Banana bread

{{Short description|Cake made from mashed bananas}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Banana bread
| image            = File:Banana bread slices.jpg
| image_size       =
| caption          =
| alternate_name   =
| country          = United States
| region           =
| creator          =
| course           =
| type             = Sweet [[bread]]
| served           =
| main_ingredient  = [[Banana]]s, [[wheat]], [[water]], [[sugar]]
| variations       = Banana raisin bread, banana nut bread, chocolate chip banana bread
| calories         =
| cookbook         = Banana Bread
}}
'''Banana bread''' is a type of sweet bread or cake made from mashed [[banana]]s.<ref>{{cite web|last=Barrowman|first=John|title=Food Recipes-Banana Bread|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bananabread_85720|publisher=BBC|access-date=14 May 2012}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=liza |date=2023-06-12 |title=Enhance Your Kitchen Skills with this Detailed Recipe for Cooking Banana Bread |url=https://desherbarta.in/enhance-your-kitchen-skills-with-this-detailed-recipe-for-cooking-banana-bread/ |access-date=2023-06-12 |website=[[Desher Barta]] |language=en-US}}</ref> It is often a moist and sweet [[quick bread]] but some recipes are yeast raised. Its sweet taste and slightly crumbly texture make it more akin to a [[tea cake]] or [[muffin]] than bread.

==History==
Bananas were introduced to the US in the 1870s, but it took a while for them to appear as ingredients in desserts. Banana bread recipes emerged in cookbooks across North America when [[baking powder]] became available in grocery stores in the 1930s. Some food historians believe banana bread was a byproduct of the [[Great Depression]] as resourceful housewives did not wish to throw away overripe bananas. Others believe that banana bread was developed in corporate kitchens to promote flour and baking soda products.<ref>{{cite web |title=Banana Bread History and Variations |url=http://muffinparadise.com/banana-bread-history-and-variations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150427144506/http://muffinparadise.com/banana-bread-history-and-variations/ |archive-date=2015-04-27 |access-date=2015-04-20}}</ref> 

Banana bread experienced a surge in popularity in 2020 during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] lockdowns.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Jen Rose |date=2020-05-02 |title=Banana bread is having a moment |url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/05/02/health/banana-bread-pandemic-baking-wellness-trnd/index.html |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

In the [[Philippines]], banana bread is usually called "banana cake." It was introduced during the [[History of the Philippines (1898–1946)|American colonial period of the Philippines]] as the Philippines became a top banana supplier.<ref>{{cite web |title=Banana Bread Recipe |url=https://panlasangpinoy.com/moist-banana-bread-recipe/ |website=Panlasang Pinoy |date=22 July 2021 |access-date=8 January 2022}}</ref>

February 23 is National Banana Bread Day in the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=American Holidays |url=http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/National_Symbols/American_Hollidays.html |access-date=8 September 2015 |work=statesymbolsusa.org |date=8 September 2014 |archive-date=17 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111217022213/http://www.statesymbolsusa.org/National_Symbols/American_Hollidays.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Variations==
* Banana raisin bread
* Banana nut bread (often featuring chopped [[Nut (fruit)|nuts]], such as [[walnuts]], [[pecans]] or [[almonds]])
* Chocolate chip banana bread (featuring [[chocolate chip]]s)<ref> [https://cooktooks.wordpress.com/2024/02/09/the-ultimate-banana-bread-recipe-a-slice-of-comfort-in-every-bite/ The Ultimate Banana Bread Recipe] </ref>
* Banana bread [[muffins]]
* Banana crumble bread
* [[Vegan]] banana bread (made without eggs or dairy products)
* [[Blueberry]] banana bread (or other fruits such as [[raspberry]] or [[orange (fruit)|orange]] to add additional flavours)

<gallery class="center" widths="175" heights="175">
File:Banana bread without nuts plus strawberries.JPG|Banana bread
File:Banana Chocolate Chip Bread, March 2009.jpg|Chocolate chip banana bread
File:Julia's Banana and Blueberry Cake with walnuts.jpg|Blueberry banana bread
File:Sliced Filipino Homemade Banana Bread.jpg|[[Filipino cuisine|Filipino]] banana bread (often called "banana cake")
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{portal|Food}}
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
* [[Banana cake]]
* [[Bánh chuối]], a banana cake from Vietnam
* [[List of American breads]]
* [[List of banana dishes]]
* [[List of quick breads]]
* [[List of sweet breads]]
* [[Pumpkin bread]]
* [[Zucchini bread]]
* [[Carrot bread]]

{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Commons category|Banana bread}}
{{cookbook|Banana bread}}
{{Spoken Wikipedia|En-Banana-bread-article.ogg|date=2019-10-08}}
{{reflist}}

{{American bread}}
{{Philippine cuisine}}
{{Cakes}}
{{Banana}}

[[Category:Quick breads]]
[[Category:Sweet breads]]
[[Category:Banana dishes]]
[[Category:American breads]]