Easy Banana Bread with Applesauce

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This banana bread with applesauce is a sweet, moist loaf made with ripe bananas and a few baking staples. There’s no butter or oil in the batter because the applesauce keeps it moist, and I like a slice warm with butter and sometimes a little honey! It’s a great way to use up the bananas you’ve left in the fruit bowl a bit too long, if you don’t want to throw them in a smoothie.

I used to make banana bread with sour cream and brown sugar, but this applesauce loaf became my favorite. I often add chopped walnuts to mine, although you can leave them out if you prefer. Slice and enjoy as it is or spread a little butter on a warm slice (or two!) for breakfast or a snack.

Banana Bread with Applesauce at a Glance

Why You’ll Love It

• No butter or oil in the batter: Applesauce adds moisture without needing to soften butter or measure out oil.
• A good use for ripe bananas: Those soft, brown-speckled bananas give the loaf its sweet banana flavor.
• Easy to adapt: You can add walnuts for crunch or chocolate chips if that’s what you fancy.

Ingredients for Applesauce Banana Bread

The complete ingredients list and quantities are in the recipe card below.

• Bananas: Choose ripe bananas that mash easily. Firm, greenish bananas aren’t going to give you the same sweetness or flavor. I tend to freeze my over ripe bananas for smoothies or making ice cream but they’re also a great fit for this.
• Applesauce: Plain, unsweetened applesauce lets you control the added sugar. I’ve found the recipe works best if you don’t choose chunky apple sauce or apple pie filling, as the first doesn’t distribute evenly through the batter and the second one is already sweetened so you’ll have to adjust the sugar amount and even then it might come out too sweet.
• Eggs: Crack the eggs into the bowl with the wet ingredients so they mix evenly through the batter.
• All-purpose flour (plain flour): Use regular flour, not self-rising flour, because the recipe includes its own baking powder and baking soda to get the right amount of lift.
• Granulated sugar: I used regular white granulated sugar.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Both go into the batter. Check that they’re within date.
• Vanilla extract and salt: Use vanilla extract for flavor and fine salt so it distributes evenly.

Preparing Moist Banana Bread with Applesauce

The full instructions with weights and measurements are in the recipe card below.

Mash the bananas, mix in the sugar and let the mixture rest. Combine the dry ingredients separately, then add the applesauce, eggs and vanilla to the bananas. Fold in the dry ingredients and any optional add-ins, spoon the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake.

Tips for a Well-Baked Loaf

• Use the stated pan size: A smaller loaf pan makes a deeper loaf and that may need longer in the oven.
• Check the middle: A browned top doesn’t tell you whether the center has finished baking. Insert a toothpick into the center and look for wet batter.
• Allow extra baking time if needed: Start checking at 45 minutes. If the toothpick has wet batter on it, bake for 5 more minutes and check again, repeating if necessary. You can loosely cover the top with foil if it’s already well browned.
• Let it cool for neat slices: Leave the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack. I found that letting it cool completely lets you cut the cleanest slices, but I’m sure you agree it’s so hard to wait and too tempting to slice still-warm!!

Substitutions and Variations

• Banana nut bread with applesauce: Fold chopped walnuts into the finished batter. They add crunch to the loaf.
• Chocolate chips: Stir a handful into the batter for a chocolate version.
• Raisins: Add a handful if you enjoy dried fruit in banana bread.
• Cinnamon applesauce: This will add cinnamon flavor to the loaf. Check whether it contains added sugar.

Handy Equipment for Banana Bread

• Loaf pan: Use a 9 × 5-inch (23 × 13cm) pan.
• Mixing bowls: A large bowl holds the banana mixture and a smaller bowl holds the dry ingredients.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Measure the flour, sugar and smaller ingredients before mixing.
• Electric hand mixer: Mash the bananas and mix the wet ingredients, then switch to stirring by hand.
• Silicone spatula: Fold in the flour and scrape the batter into the pan.
• Cooling rack: Support the loaf while it cools out of the pan.

How to Store

• Room temperature: Cool the plain loaf completely, then keep it covered for several days. Refrigerate it if your kitchen is hot or humid.
• Freeze: Wrap the cooled whole loaf well and freeze for up to 3 months. For individual slices, wrap them and freeze in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
• Thaw and reheat: Thaw at room temperature. Warm a slice briefly in the microwave if you prefer it warm.
• Make ahead: Bake the loaf the day before you want to serve it and store it covered when cool.

Banana Bread FAQs

A Homemade Loaf to Enjoy with Coffee

A warm slice with butter and honey is my favorite way to serve this loaf. Let it cool further if you’re slicing it to share, or freeze some for later if you won’t finish the whole loaf. I’ve never had to freeze mine because it never lasts more than a few days!

More Sweet Recipes to Try

My banana cheesecake with a vanilla wafer crust is another banana dessert you might enjoy. There are also British scones with jam and clotted cream if you fancy an afternoon bake, plus collections of summer dessert ideas and winter dessert ideas to browse.

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