Homemade Ginger Banana Bread Recipe

Ginger banana bread is a great way to use overripe bananas during the holidays. Makes a gingerbread loaf extra moist with a killer flavor. We make our 4 ingredient banana bread all the time BUT when I am in the mood for homemade, I make this.

Ingredients

1. A few browned bananas
2. All purpose flour is the base of the dry ingredients
3. Ginger, Cinnamon, Ground cloves, and Cardamom make up the classic spices you would expect
4. Vegetable oil or alternatives are below
5. Brown sugar is for rich sweetness
6. Eggs and vanilla
7. Baking powder, baking soda will allow it to rise

Substitutions

This is how to make gingerbread spice if you want to make a larger batch to use for other recipes in the future. You can use plain Greek yogurt or applesauce instead of oil if you would rather, thicker will make it more moist.

How brown should bananas be to bake into bread?

If you have brown nanners on your counter, please do NOT throw them away. There are tons of overripe banana recipes to choose from like this one. Such a waste if they go into the trash can. Ideally they should be brown all over on the skin, at a minimum they should have lots of brown spots, black has gone too far.

Ginger Spiced Banana Bread Recipe

You can make this in a loaf pan or round cake pan if you wanted. When October or November rolls around there are two classic flavors that come to mind, pumpkin and gingerbread. I want ALL the things at this time. Maybe you’re the same. 😉

As with any other type of baking you will want to use two larger bowls. One to incorporate the dry ingredients and another to whisk together the wet ones. I would mash the bananas inside one first and then add the eggs and others, it’s easier that way.

Similar to our zucchini gingerbread, you don’t want the batter to be completely smooth. I like small chunks of fruit in it for texture and moisture so keep that in mind. I would not use a stand or hand mixer when you combine the two, just use elbow grease.

As for how to make a prepared pan you just want to use some non stick spray inside your loaf pans. Some like to sprinkle some flour in after that and pat it around so it slides out really easily.

Of course chopped walnuts could be folded in at the end too, or sprinkled on top. When you have your ripe bananas then just ready for some YUM. Here are quick step by steps but there is a complete detailed explanation in the recipe card below too.

How to Make Banana and Ginger Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and oil, then brown sugar and vanilla.
   Mash 2 bananas and whisk into batter.
2. Whisk in spices. In another bowl mix dry ingredients together.
3. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans. Pour in batter, distributed evenly.
4. Slice bananas lengthwise as thin as possible. Place bananas on top of batter in loaf pan. You can do this to one or both loaves.
5. Then bake for 40-45 minutes baking time or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool baked goods on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
6. Gently slide a knife around the bread, remove loaf, and place on wire rack until cooled completely.

You can slice and serve as is or sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top. Finely diced crystallized ginger is a nice touch on top or inside the batter too if you like that flavor.

Can you bake this into muffins?

For a muffin tin you’d just need to adjust the timing to about 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched gently in the center. Those are great grab and go breakfast treats too. It’s kinda’ like our Starbucks gingerbread loaf with cream cheese frosting but with more of a Christmas flavor. 😉

Slicing a whole one and putting it on the top is not a must but it sure does make it pretty doesn’t it?? You can do it for one, both or neither. That is up to you and how many you have on hand really.

Some like it with a little softened butter on top of their slice but I prefer mine as is. You could easily add crushed nuts, walnuts would be best if you wished too. I do not like crunchy in my soft foods myself. Call me odd but it just is what it is and I just can’t get passed it.

How to save leftovers

The trick to keeping this moist next day is to only slice the pieces you are going to eat then and there, leave the rest whole. This will keep the air out. Another tip is to wrap the whole thing tightly with saran wrap and slide that into a freezer bag. Leave it on the counter, not the fridge – that will dry it out.

Can you freeze leftover banana bread?

You can!! You would need to follow my same directions wrapping with foil or plastic wrap first AND store in a freezer bag free from air first. Then freeze for up to 3 months ideally. Allow to defrost on the counter overnight.

Other holiday dessert ideas you’ll love

Instead I just prefer to serve this for breakfast or a fun snack with a cup of dalgona coffee. If you haven’t tried that duo you really should. It’s different than regular brewed and looks “fancy” but is quite easy to make really. We have made other holiday favorites too you should try like:

• Cake mix crinkle cookies can be made in red and green or any other colors with yellow or white mix.
• And gingerbread dump cake is always a winner
  • You can do this with another style of mix and make air fryer gingerbread cookies too.

SO next time your fruit is too ripe for you to enjoy think of what you could bake to make everyone in your home say MMmmmm. This is on top of our list for sure as far as YUM goes. Give it a whirl yourself.