hummingbird bakery banana bread

Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread

Although The Hummingbird Bakery, a famed British bakery, is primarily known for its cupcakes, it also has a solid banana bread recipe! The Hummingbird Bakery’s banana bread recipe is soft, moist, and flavored with ground cinnamon and ginger. The recipe comes together quickly, thanks to its use of melted butter and mashed bananas. The best part? There’s no need to use a stand mixer for this recipe, folks! 

hummingbird bakery banana bread unsliced

Why You Should Make Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread

Here are all the reasons to make the Hummingbird Bakery’s recipe for banana bread:

The Hummingbird Bakery is a famous bakery in London, England. The bakery introduced many classic American flavors like hummingbird (banana, pineapple and spices) and red velvet to the United Kingdom. Although the Hummingbird Bakery is primarily known for its cupcakes, the bakery also offers other treats like this banana bread.

And now, for some fun history: The Hummingbird Bakery actually inspired my blog, Hummingbird High! I started this blog in 2011 to record my efforts to bake through the Hummingbird Bakery’s first cookbook. Although I now develop many of my own recipes, I am still very much indebted to the Hummingbird Bakery. I learned many crucial baking lessons from the bakery’s recipes! You can learn more about this journey in my About page.

The Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe comes together really quickly and does not need a stand mixer.

This banana bread recipe is one of the fastest banana bread recipes on my blog! Why? Most banana bread recipes instruct you to cream butter and sugar for 3 to 5 minutes. However, this banana bread recipe uses melted butter. As a result, you can avoid a stand mixer completely. In fact, to make this recipe, all you need are two bowls and a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon. That’s it! The batter only takes about 5 minutes to come together.

The Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe stores well.

Like most loaf cakes, the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread stays fresh and moist for days. In fact, the banana bread actually becomes more flavorful overnight! The ground cinnamon and ginger becomes more pronounced, giving the banana bread bright, tropical taste.

hummingbird bakery banana bread unsliced

Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make the Hummingbird Bakery’s banana bread, here’s your shopping list for the recipe:

Shopping List for Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread

  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • ground cinnamon
  • ground ginger
  • kosher salt
  • light OR dark brown sugar
  • large eggs
  • EXTREMELY ripe bananas
  • unsalted butter

And let’s talk about the recipe’s key ingredients and potential substitutions:

All-Purpose Flour

You need 2 and ¼ cups all-purpose flour to make Hummingbird Bakery banana bread.

Does a 1-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour work in the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe?

I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I rarely bake with those types of flour replacements because they’re expensive and my household is fortunate not to have any gluten restrictions. However, if you replace the flour in this recipe with any gluten-free alternatives, please leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly!

Brown Sugar

You need 1 and ½ cups light OR dark brown sugar to make Hummingbird Bakery banana bread.

Light Versus Dark Brown Sugar

Brown sugar is granulated white sugar with a touch of molasses to give it its signature color and flavor. Because brown sugar contains molasses, it adds more moisture baked goods than granulated sugar otherwise would. Brown sugar is available in two varieties: light or dark. Dark brown sugar is my personal preference. Because it contains more molasses, I find it to be more flavorful. However, you can use either in the Hummingbird Bakery’s banana bread recipe without altering its flavor too much.

Can I use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar?

Sadly, no. Hummingbird Bakery banana bread is partially leavened by baking soda. What does that mean, exactly? Leaveners are the ingredients in baking recipes that responsible for making the baked goods rise. They do so by reacting with other ingredients to create bubbles in batters and doughs. The reaction is usually activated when an acidic ingredient is mixed an alkaline ingredient, and/or the heat from the oven.

In the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe, the baking soda reacts with brown sugar (which is slightly acidic, thanks to the molasses in it) to give the bread its signature, fluffy texture. Unfortunately, coconut sugar does not have this same acidic quality and has a neutral pH level similar to that of granulated white sugar.

What does that mean for your banana bread? If you use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar in this recipe, your cookies will likely be denser and flatter than mine. It might still be tasty, but I can’t wholeheartedly recommend it.

Large Eggs

You need 2 large eggs to make Hummingbird Bakery banana bread.

I don’t eat egg because of allergies and/or my diet. What can I use instead of egg?

I’m sorry, but I don’t 100% know. In general, my specialty lies in creating baking recipes with conventional ingredients.

That being said, if you’ve used natural (like flax eggs) or artificial egg replacers (like Bob’s Red Mill Vegan Egg Replacer), it’ll also likely work in this recipe. Why? Hummingbird Bakery banana bread is a pretty standard banana bread recipe. It’ll probably be pretty similar to what you’ve made in the past with egg replacers.

However, since I’ve never tried the substitutions myself, I cannot 100% guarantee the results. If you replace the egg in this banana bread recipe with any of the options I provided, please leave a comment so I can update this post accordingly!

Extremely Ripe Bananas

You need 1 cup extremely ripe mashed bananas to make Hummingbird Bakery banana bread.

This recipe works best if you use incredibly ripe, spotted, and almost black bananas. How ripe should bananas be for banana bread? VERY ripe. Like “leaving them on the counter for another day is a bad idea because it would attract too many fruit flies” ripe.

Can I make banana bread with yellow bananas?

Technically, yes, you can. But I guarantee you that the resulting banana bread won’t be as moist as flavorful as the one that would have been if you’d used spotted black bananas. Why? As bananas naturally ripen, the fruit inside becomes more sugary and flavorful. Yellow bananas are still pretty starchy and don’t contain as much natural sugars and flavors.

How to ripen bananas for banana bread

There are a ton of tips available online about how to ripen your bananas faster; below are the ones that work best for me:

  1. Separate the Bananas from the Stem
    Separating a bunch of bananas from their stem will help them ripen faster because doing so encourages the fruit to release ethylene gas. Ethylene gas is a byproduct of ripening fruit, and more of it will encourage the fruit to ripen and age faster.

  2. Place the Separated Bananas in a Paper Bag and Seal
    Placing all the individual bananas in a sealed paper bag will trap the ethylene gas, concentrating its quantity and increasing the fruit’s ripening process. But please note that you need to use a paper bag—a plastic bag will trap moisture and could potentially cause the fruit to mold.

  3. Store in a Warm Spot
    Warm temperatures can speed up the production of ethylene gas; I like to place the sealed bag near a “hot spot” in my kitchen (like on top of the fridge, or by the oven or range) and let it sit for a day or two.

  4. Use an Internet Hack (though I will side-eye you)
    If all of the the above still sounds too slow for you, you can always try the popular Internet hack of baking the bananas in the oven to get them to ripen immediately. While it’s fine in a pinch, it’s not really the same thing as ripening the fruit—in fact, Food52 interviewed a scientist who explains why. I know it’s a pain, sometimes the real thing is simply worth the wait!  

How to make banana bread with frozen bananas

Yes, yes you can make banana bread with frozen bananas! In fact, I even encourage you to do so. I love freezing overripe bananas for future baking projects. I put the bananas, skin and all, in a gallon-size zip top bag and freeze them. In the freezer, the peel turns entirely black (don’t panic, this is normal!). It then leeches oil into the fruit to make the bananas more flavorful.

When I want to use the frozen bananas in a recipe, I transfer them to the fridge, still in their bag, and thaw them overnight. Alternatively, if it’s a hot day, I thaw them on the counter at room temperature for a few hours on a plate. The plate is important—as the bananas thaw, they’ll release a large amount of liquid. Don’t throw it out! Simply dump the fruit and its liquid into a bowl. Whisk them together before using in the recipe as directed. That banana juice is actually the secret to the making the very best and crazy moist banana bread.

hummingbird bakery banana bread sliced

How To Make Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread

Here are the basic steps to make Hummingbird Bakery banana bread from scratch:

  1. Prep the ingredients. (Prep Time: 10 minutes)
    This is one of the few recipes on my blog in which it takes more time to prep the ingredients than make the recipe itself! Why? For the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread, you need to first mash the bananas, then melt the butter for the batter.

    If you want a pro-tip, I recommend melting the butter first while prepping the ingredients. Doing so allows the butter to cool slightly, ensuring that it won’t accidentally overcook the eggs in your batter.

  2. Make the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
    Although the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe comes together quickly, its method for doing so is a little unusual. First, mix together the flour, leaveners, spices, and salt in a medium bowl. Then, mix together the sugars, eggs, and bananas. Mix in the dry ingredients, then pour in the melted butter.

    Without the butter, the batter will seem too stiff and thick. It will have a hard time incorporating the butter. But don’t panic! It works, I promise. Just keep mixing just until the butter combines. You should end up with a “normal”-looking banana bread batter.

  3. Bake the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread. (Bake Time: 60 minutes)
    The banana bread needs about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes in the oven. The range in Bake Time depends on the ripeness of your bananas and whether or not the bananas were frozen beforehand. Check out the Baker’s Notes below for more information!
hummingbird bakery banana bread slices

Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

FAQ: Equipment for Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread Recipe

Can I bake the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe in an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan instead of a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan?

Yes, yes you can! Your loaf will come out even taller and more picturesque than mine. My only warning is that there’s a higher risk of the batter overflowing out onto the oven floor. That’s because you’re cramming the same amount of batter into a smaller cake pan. So be sure to set the loaf pan on top of a sheet pan to catch any potential batter spillage.

Can I bake the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe a muffin pan to make banana bread muffins?

You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Banana bread recipes are made specifically for loaf pans to produce thick and dense loaves. As a result, baking a banana bread recipe in a muffin pan will result in thick and dense muffins. Baking this recipe in a muffin pan could potentially result in muffins that are too greasy or heavy. You’d be better off finding a recipe that’s specially for muffin pans that make soft and light muffins. In fact, I even have a recommendation! Check out this banana cinnamon muffin recipe (also known as one of the most popular recipes on my blog, EVER).

FAQ: Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread Variations

Can I add chocolate to the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe?

Yes! 

Proceed with the recipe as directed, but add ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) chocolate to the batter after adding the bananas. You can use either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, OR roughly chopped dark chocolate (at least 65% cacao). Mix until the chocolate is evenly distributed throughout the batter, then pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle another ½ cup (4 ounces or 113 grams) of the chocolate over the batter, then bake as directed.

Can I add nuts to the Hummingbird Bakery banana bread recipe?

Yes! You can add up to 1 cup of whichever nut you prefer to this recipe. I personally think it works best with walnuts.

Before using in the recipe, toast the nuts until lightly browned and fragrant. If needed, roughly chop the nuts to ½- to 1-inch pieces. Add the toasted nuts to the batter after adding the bananas. Mix until the nuts are evenly distributed throughout the batter, then pour into the prepared pan and bake as directed.

FAQ: Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread Storage

How long does banana bread last

Most banana breads can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days. After 3 days, transfer to the refrigerator and chill for an additional 2 more days.

How to Store Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread

Wrap the cooled banana bread tightly in plastic wrap and store on the counter for up to 3 days.

Can you freeze Hummingbird Bakery banana bread?

Yes, yes you can! Wrap the cooled banana bread tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will help prevent the banana bread from absorbing any weird flavors or smells in the freezer. Freeze for up to 3 months.

To defrost, unwrap the layer of foil from the bread and place in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. When soft, slice and serve chilled, or toasted in the griddle (like this Banana Bread French Toast recipe) or toaster (like these Cake Toast slices).

Best Hummingbird Bakery Banana Bread Recipe Tips

Best Ingredient Tips

  • This recipe works best if you use incredibly ripe, spotted, and almost black bananas. The unpeeled bananas should feel soft to the touch and give easily when gently pressed. That means that they’ll mash easily in the stand mixer. If the bananas feel firm, you may need to mash them before using them in the recipe. Set the bananas on a firm surface and use the twines of a fork to press down on the fruit until mashed.

  • The recipe below instructs you to use 1 cup (8 ounces or 227 grams) mashed bananas. For best results, I suggest using a digital scale to weigh out the bananas. How do you weigh out bananas? Simple: place a bowl on the digital scale and tare it to “0”. Then, peel the bananas, placing them in the bowl until the scale reads 8 ounces or 227 grams. After you’ve weighed out the bananas, mash them using the technique described below.

Best Technique Tip

  • The best way to mash bananas is this: peel the bananas and place them flat on a chopping board. Then, use the twines of a fork to mash them—that’s it! This method mashes the bananas more consistently and ensures you don’t have any large chunks.

Best Baking Tip

  • The Bake Time for this recipe is listed at 1 hour. That being said, if you’re using extremely ripe bananas, you’ll likely need to bake it for 10 to 15 minutes longer than what’s listed in the recipe. The same goes for bananas that were frozen, then thawed for use in the recipe. Extremely ripe and previously frozen bananas contain more moisture and will need longer to cook in the oven. The best way to test for doneness is to use a wooden skewer and stick it in the direct center of the loaf. The skewer should come out with few crumbs. If you find that the skewer is plenty wet with batter but the top of the banana bread looks too browned to keep on baking, don’t panic! Simply cover the top of the bread with a loose sheet of aluminum foil. This will help prevent the top of the bread from browning further.

Best Styling Tip

  • Perhaps it’s the professional food blogger in me, but I always think that loaf cakes are a little blah-looking on their own without a glaze (like this blood orange drizzle cake!) or topping (like this pumpkin chocolate chip bread and this banana bread with sour cream recipe). As a result, I adorned my Hummingbird Bakery banana bread with 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar. How? I sprinkled the sugar on top of the batter right before baking. However, if you don’t want your banana bread to be overly sweet, feel free to skip this step! Just note that your banana bread will look different from mine (it won’t have the sugary top).

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Get the Recipe: The Hummingbird Bakery’s Banana Bread Recipe

This is the Hummingbird Bakery's banana bread recipe! Although the British bakery is primarily known for its cupcakes, its banana bread recipe is pretty solid. The recipe is quick-and-easy to make, and the resulting loaf cake is gently flavored with banana and spices like ground cinnamon and ginger.
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Ingredients

For the Hummingbird Bakery's Banana Bread Recipe

  • 2 ¼ cups (10.15 ounces or 288 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 ½ cups (11.25 ounces or 319 grams) tightly packed light OR dark brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup (8 ounces or 227 grams) mashed bananas
  • ½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons (5 ounces or 148 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

Equipment

  • a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan

Instructions
 

For the Hummingbird Bakery's Banana Bread Recipe

  • Prep your oven and pan. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides. Spray the parchment, too.
  • Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
  • Mix the sugar, eggs, and bananas. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until combined. Add the bananas and use a rubber spatula to mix until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients and the butter. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Slowly pour in the melted butter. Use the rubber spatula to finish mixing until smooth and well combined, 1 to 2 minutes more.
  • Assemble and bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the banana bread comes out with few crumbs attached. Cool on a wire rack.
  • Serve and store. Serve warm or at room temperature. The banana bread can be stored at room temperature, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • Adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook
  • This recipe works best if you use incredibly ripe, spotted, and almost black bananas. The unpeeled bananas should feel soft to the touch and give easily when gently pressed. That means that they’ll mash easily in the stand mixer. If the bananas feel firm, you may need to mash them before using them in the recipe. Set the bananas on a firm surface and use the twines of a fork to press down on the fruit until mashed.
  • The recipe below instructs you to use 1 cup (8 ounces or 227 grams) mashed bananas. For best results, I suggest using a digital scale to weigh out the bananas. How do you weigh out bananas? Simple: place a bowl on the digital scale and tare it to “0”. Then, peel the bananas, placing them in the bowl until the scale reads 8 ounces or 227 grams. After you’ve weighed out the bananas, mash them using the technique described below.
  • The best way to mash bananas is this: peel the bananas and place them flat on a chopping board. Then, use the twines of a fork to mash them—that’s it! This method mashes the bananas more consistently and ensures you don’t have any large chunks.
  • The Bake Time for this recipe is listed at 1 hour. That being said, if you’re using extremely ripe bananas, you’ll likely need to bake it for 10 to 15 minutes longer than what’s listed in the recipe. The same goes for bananas that were frozen, then thawed for use in the recipe. Extremely ripe and previously frozen bananas contain more moisture and will need longer to cook in the oven. The best way to test for doneness is to use a wooden skewer and stick it in the direct center of the loaf. The skewer should come out with few crumbs. If you find that the skewer is plenty wet with batter but the top of the banana bread looks too browned to keep on baking, don’t panic! Simply cover the top of the bread with a loose sheet of aluminum foil. This will help prevent the top of the bread from browning further.
  • The Bake Time for this recipe is listed at 1 hour. That being said, if you’re using extremely ripe bananas, you’ll likely need to bake it for 10 to 15 minutes longer than what’s listed in the recipe. The same goes for bananas that were frozen, then thawed for use in the recipe. Extremely ripe and previously frozen bananas contain more moisture and will need longer to cook in the oven. The best way to test for doneness is to use a wooden skewer and stick it in the direct center of the loaf. The skewer should come out with few crumbs. If you find that the skewer is plenty wet with batter but the top of the banana bread looks too browned to keep on baking, don’t panic! Simply cover the top of the bread with a loose sheet of aluminum foil. This will help prevent the top of the bread from browning further.
  • Perhaps it’s the professional food blogger in me, but I always think that loaf cakes are a little blah-looking on their own without a glaze or topping. As a result, I adorned my Hummingbird Bakery banana bread with 2 Tablespoons of granulated sugar. How? I sprinkled the sugar on top of the batter right before baking. However, if you don’t want your banana bread to be overly sweet, feel free to skip this step! Just note that your banana bread will look different from mine (it won’t have the sugary top).
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Michelle holding Weeknight Baking cookbook covering her face.

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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule

Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.

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