How to Store Banana Bread
Keep banana bread moist for days on the counter and up to three months in the freezer, without the gummy top or the dried-out cut end.
Wrap It Cool, Not Warm
Most banana bread goes wrong in the first hour, not on day three. Wrap a loaf that is still warm and the steam has nowhere to go, so it settles on top and turns the crust wet and gummy by morning.
The fix is patience, then a tight seal. Let the loaf cool all the way through — about 2 hours on a rack — then wrap it snug so no air touches the crumb.
Cool All The Way Down
A loaf that feels even slightly warm at the bottom is still releasing steam, so give it 2 hours on a wire rack before anything touches it.
Counter Beats Fridge
Wrapped tight and kept out of the sun, banana bread holds 3 to 4 days at room temperature, while the fridge stales the crumb faster than the counter does.
Guard The Cut Face
The sliced end dries out first, so set the loaf cut side down on a plate or press plastic wrap flat against it before wrapping the whole thing.
Freeze For The Long Haul
Plastic wrap plus foil or a freezer bag keeps it good for up to 3 months, and slicing before you freeze means you can pull one piece at a time.
The method
- 1
Cool completely
Turn the loaf out of the pan and onto a wire rack. Wait until the bottom is room temperature to the touch, about two hours.
- 2
Wrap it tight
Use plastic wrap or foil pressed right against the crust, or an airtight container. If you use a container, lay a paper towel under and over the loaf to catch condensation.
- 3
Park it out of the light
A cool spot on the counter or in the bread box works. Keep it off a sunny windowsill and away from the stove, where heat sweats the wrapper.
- 4
Protect the cut end
Once you slice into it, store the loaf cut side down or seal that face with wrap. That end goes dry hours before the rest does.
- 5
Freeze what you will not eat
Slice the loaf, wrap it in plastic, then slide it into a freezer bag with the date on it. Press the air out before you seal.
- 6
Thaw and refresh
Let frozen slices come to room temperature still wrapped so the moisture goes back into the bread. Warm slices at 300F for about 10 minutes if you want the crust back.
Show what you know
Three quick calls every banana bread baker has to make. See how you do.
Question 1 of 3
You wrapped the loaf while it was still a bit warm. The top is wet and sticky by morning. What happened?
Put it to work
A one-bowl, no-mixer loaf that keeps beautifully all week — bake it Sunday and put your wrapping and storing to the test.
★ breakfast
breakfastBanana bread
No need for a mixer for this recipe! Easy clean up too and suuuuuper yummy
VicIngredients
- 3 Banana (ripe-overripe)
- 1/3 cup Butter
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 1 Pinch Salt
- 3/4 cup Sugar
- 1 lrg Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup All purpose flour
Instructions
- 1This recipe makes 1 loaf. I usually double and you can even triple and freeze extra loaves! Preheat oven to 350°F and butter an 8x4 inch loaf pan if you are not using parchment paper
- 2In a mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth. Stir melted butter into the mashed bananas
- 3Mix in the baking soda and salt. Stir in the sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix in the flour. A sprinkle of cinnamon is option for extra flavour.
- 4Line the baking sheet with parchment paper (optional). Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan
- 5Bake for 55-65 mins at 350 or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. A few dry crumbs are ok but streaks of wet batter are not.
- 6Cool for a few minutes, serve and enjoy!
P.S. Pepper keeps the recipe, the timings and your own notes in one place — so the next time you cook it, you're not starting from a search box.
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