Last updated on June 13th, 2025

This Old-Fashioned Banana Bread is tender, moist, and loaded with bananas, warm spices and a nutty texture.

My vintage inspiration.

My vintage inspiration for this cake is from my Nan’s recipe book. I’ve taken her 90’s recipe and made a few modern revisions.

I replaced the shortening with a combination of butter and oil
Added warm spices for more depth of flavor.
I added Instant ClearJel for a light, more tender texture. The ClearJel will help with structure and moisture retention, while the slight flour reduction will allow for more spread and a chewier texture.

Dry Ingredients

flour: Use all-purpose unbleached flour with 10-12% protein, such as King Arthur or Sir Galahad Artisan Flour (its bulk-purchased name) which has 11.7% protein. Avoid bread flour, as its higher protein content (11-14%), develops more gluten, which results in dense baked goods.

instant clearJel: Instant ClearJel is a modified cornstarch that acts as a thickener, retaining moisture and stabilizing baked goods for a light and tender texture. If ClearJel is hard to find, cornstarch is a good substitute. To swap: If the recipe calls for 1 T. cornstarch, use 1 1/2 T. ClearJel. If the recipe calls for 2 T. flour or tapioca, use 1 T. ClearJel.

Baking soda: Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is a leavening agent that, when combined with an acid (like lemon juice, buttermilk, or vinegar) creates carbon dioxide gas to make baked goods rise.

Baking powder: Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid, like cream of tarter, and a base, like baking soda to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.

salt: Use a fine-ground pink salt which adds essential minerals and nutrients to baked goods.

cinnamon: Cinnamon comes from dried bark from the tropical Asian cinnamon tree and is available as whole cinnamon sticks or ground. There are two types: Cassia which has a warm, sweet flavor, and Ceylon known as “true cinnamon”, which has an intense spicy bite.

Wet Ingredients

butter: American butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.

canola oil: Canola oil is perfect for baking as it has a neutral and light flavor. You can swap oil for butter and vice versa as oil provides moisture, and butter provides flavor.

sugar: Sugar is derived from sugarcane and provides sweetness to baked goods. The most common type being granulated white sugar. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.

brown sugar: Brown sugar is granulated sugar with molasses added, providing deep flavor and moisture to baked goods. Light brown sugar contains 3.5% molasses and dark brown sugar has 6.5%, giving it more robust flavor.

buttermilk: Buttermilk is a cultured dairy product that adds a tangy flavor and creates tenderness in baked goods. When purchasing buttermilk, look for simple, natural ingredients such as “cultured milk”. MAKE YOUR OWN! Add 1 T. vinegar or lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup and add cream or whole milk until it reaches the 1 c. measure line and let it sit for a few minutes before use.

eggs: Eggs are important in baking because they lend natural leavening, provide moisture, and add structure through their protein.

vanilla extract: Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, which enhances the depth of flavor in baked goods. Homemade vanilla is best, or use a high-quality, all-natural brand that contains at least 35% alcohol. MAKE YOUR OWN! Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 ounces of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.

Mix-Ins

bananas: Bananas are a tropical fruit grown on plants, often mistaken for trees. As they ripen, bananas develop more natural sugars, making them sweeter. It’s best to use them at the brown-speckled stage, as green bananas are unripe.

walnuts: Walnuts are the seeds of Juglans trees that are found inside a hard, thick shell that must be cracked open to eat. There are two varieties, the English walnut commonly eaten raw, and the black walnut which has a stronger flavor and often used in savory dishes.

Homemade Ingredients

Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 ounces of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.

Baker’s Tips

When making banana baked goods, be sure to use brown-speckled bananas. If your bananas are not ready to use, roast them at 300° for 30 minutes until they are black outside and soft inside.
The original recipe called for shortening, however, I’ve modified it by using a combination of butter and oil. Shortening was used in many recipes of the early 20th century because it was readily available, cheaper and shelf-stable. Use a mild oil such as canola or ‘extra light’ extra virgin olive oil so that it doesn’t overpower the baked good.

Dietary Substitutions

For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. Read more about it here.

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE

Here are some tips for gluten free baking

Use a premium gluten-free flour blend. You can easily convert this recipe and your other favorite recipes using my premium gluten-free flour for proven, delicious results every time.

Be sure to let the batter rest to help eliminate grittiness. Even letting the batter sit 15 minutes will yield a light and tender baked good. You can let batter sit in the fridge overnight, and up to 3 days.
Add 1-2 tablespoons additional buttermilk to help hydrate the flour.
Reduce the oven temperature by at least 25° to bake low and slow, since gluten-free flour is delicate and tend to burn before the center is cooked through.
Gluten-free baked goods have a shorter shelf-life than conventional baked goods and dry out faster. Store in airtight container on counter 1-2 days, refrigerate 3-5 days, or seal in plastic and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 6 months. After pulling the container from the freezer, bring to room temperature before opening the lid.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE

Swap out the butter with unsalted vegan butter sticks.
To replace the egg, place 1 tsp. of baking soda into your baked good and pour 1 T. white vinegar on top of the baking soda.
Replace the dairy with unsweetened oat or almond milk.

Equipment

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Storage

Baked Loaf: Cover in air-tight container and leave on counter up to 3 days. To freeze, cover in saran wrap and place in freezer-safe container up to 6 months. Thaw on counter in the container for 1/2 hour before opening up the container.

Unbaked batter: Prepare batter and place in a sealed container up to 3-5 days in refrigerator.

Apryl Niksch