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Home » African dishes

South African Banana Bread

Dated: September 19, 2023 . Modified: Sep 19, 2023 by Kate Hahnel

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Delight in a slice of this moist and delicious South African banana bread! Made with oil instead of butter, this easy and simple loaf will soon become a favourite in your home!!

If you enjoy having simple and tasty African dishes, then certainly try our South African beef stew, dawa cocktail, and sadza, next!

South African banana bread on a kitchen board.

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Jump to:
  • ingredients you will need
  • how to make
  • serving suggestions
  • storage, refrigeration and freezing
  • chef's tips
  • more tasty african recipes to try
  • 📖 Recipe

ingredients you will need

This is a summary of the ingredients needed to make South African banana loaf, as well as possible options for substitution, if any. The full ingredient measurements have been provided in the recipe card below.

Ingredients needed to make South African banana bread.
  • all-purpose flour - you can substitute this with gluten-free all-purpose flour.
  • baking powder- here, you can also use a mixture of baking powder and baking soda in the ratio 1:1.
  • salt.
  • cinnamon - optional.
  • cooking oil.
  • sugar - here, you have the option of using either regular sugar or brown sugar. I actually recommend using brown sugar if you have it, as it gives the banana bread a more richer flavor.
  • vanilla extract.
  • eggs (at room temperature).
  • medium ripe bananas - you want to go for overly-ripe bananas, whose peels have dark spots or have turned almost black. This is because the riper the bananas, the sweeter and more assertive the taste will be.
  • yoghurt - I like to use Greek yoghurt but feel free to use any yoghurt you prefer.

Related recipes: Do you own an air fryer and love everything to do with bananas? Then check out our air fryer banana bread muffins and air fryer banana bread!!

how to make

Sifting flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to make South African banana bread.
Combining wet and dry ingredients for South African banana bread.
  1. Preheat oven to 180°C and prepare a 9'' by 5'' loaf pan. Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
  1. In a separate bowl, mash bananas; in another, whisk together oil, yogurt, vanilla extract, and sugar, then gradually add in eggs.
Baking South African banana bread.
Simple South African banana bread.
  1. Carefully combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, fold in the mashed bananas, and pour the batter into the prepared pan.
  2. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  1. Once cooked, let the banana loaf cool for 15 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  2. Serve with a cuf of coffee, tea, milk, juice, or as preferred.

serving suggestions

I like to enjoy mine the traditional way with a cup of coffee or tea for breakfast or brunch! For some added protein, serve your banana loaf with some peanut butter - not only does this taste amazing, but it is also very filling!

Overhead picture of South African banana bread.

storage, refrigeration and freezing

Store the banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.

For longer storage, transfer the cooled banana bread to a suitable airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to a week. To freeze, simply slice the banana bread, wrap it in aluminum foil or freezer-friendly bags, and freeze for 2-3 months.

chef's tips

Here are a few helpful tips that will help you make moist and delicious banana bread every time:-

  • room temperature ingredients: using eggs, bananas, and other ingredients at room temperature helps achieve a uniform texture.
  • do not overmix: be careful not to overmix your batter. Overmixed batter produces more gluten, resulting in a dense, and chewy loaf.
  • checking for doneness: to check whether the banana bread is done, insert a toothpick or a thin knife into the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it's done.
  • allow the banana loaf to cool before slicing: once baked, let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This makes slicing easier and reduces crumbling.
  • variations and add-ins: consider adding nuts, chocolate chips, and dried fruit such as sultanas, cranberries or currants to enhance flavor and texture.

more tasty african recipes to try

Don't just stop here, as we have lots of other delicious world cuisine and African recipes for you to try! From Nigerian akamu, to lentil bobotie and Tunisian mint tea, you will certainly find lots of amazing recipes here!

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Great news, you have made it this far which means you probably made this South African banana bread recipe! It would go a long way if you could leave a ⭐ rating on the recipe card or comment in the comments section below.

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Simple South African banana bread.

📖 Recipe

Simple South African banana bread.

South African Banana Bread

Kate Hahnel
Delight in a slice of this moist and delicious South African banana bread! Made with oil and no butter, this easy and simple loaf will soon become a favourite in your home.
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert
Cuisine African, Continental, World Cuisine
Servings 10 slices
Calories

Equipment

mixing bowls
mixing bowls
whisk
whisk
Spatula
Spatula
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
  

  • 190 g all-purpose flour (or 1½ cups)
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder (or 1½tsp of baking soda)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon - optional (or more, to taste)
  • ½ cup cooking oil
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs (at room temperature)
  • 2-3 medium ripe bananas (approximately 270 g - 300 g (9 oz - 11 oz)
  • 140 g yoghurt ( or ⅗ cup)

Instructions
 

  •  Preheat oven to 180°C and grease or line an 9'' by 5'' (23 cm x 13 cm) bread loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • Sift the dry ingredients (all-purpose flour,baking powder, salt, and cinnamon) into a bowl·
    Sifting flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to make South African banana bread.
  • Separately mash the banana with a fork in a bowl then set aside.
    Combining wet and dry ingredients for South African banana bread.
  • In another bowl, whisk the oil, yoghurt, vanilla extract, and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs, a little at a time, then whisk. Gradually add the dry ingredients (the flour mixture) to the wet ingredients, then carefully fold using a spatula.
  • Fold the mashed banana into the mixture, pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
    Baking South African banana bread.
  • Allow the banana bread to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing it from the pan, then transfer to a wire rack so it cools completely.
  • Serve this South African banana bread with some coffee, tea, a glass of milk, or as preferred.

Notes

  • room temperature ingredients: using eggs, bananas, and other ingredients at room temperature helps achieve a uniform texture.
  • do not overmix: be careful not to overmix your batter. Overmixed batter produces more gluten, resulting in a dense, and chewy loaf.
  • checking for doneness: to check whether the banana bread is done, insert a toothpick or a thin knife into the center. If it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, it's done.
  • allow the banana loaf to cool before slicing: once baked, let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This makes slicing easier and reduces crumbling.
  • variations and add-ins: consider adding nuts, chocolate chips, and dried fruit such as sultanas, cranberries, or currants to enhance flavour and texture.
Tried this recipe? I would love it if you could leave a rating by clicking on the stars above on this recipe card.Pin this recipe on Pinterest or tag me out on socials @weeatatlast. I love seeing your creations.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mickie

    February 20, 2024 at 2:24 am

    5 stars
    My new favorite Banana Bread recipe!!! I didn't have yogurt on hand so I subbed Kefir instead and it was so good. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Kate Hahnel

      February 20, 2024 at 9:11 am

      Thank you very much! I am so glad you liked your banana bread. Your version with Kefir sounds amazing, I can't wait to try it out, yum!

      Reply
  2. Bea

    October 10, 2023 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    Turned out moist and delicious, and so simple! This recipe is a winner. Thanks for sharing. I love learning recipes from different cultures.

    Reply
  3. jennifer

    October 10, 2023 at 5:13 pm

    5 stars
    Ahh, well -- the freezing instructions weren't necessary for me! Lol, we gobbled it ALL up not a leftover crumb in sight. So moist and delicious, I loved the addition of the yogurt in there. Will be making again, thank you!

    Reply
  4. Joan

    October 10, 2023 at 5:02 pm

    5 stars
    The cinnamon gave this banana bread a really nice flavor - just enough but not too overpowering. I prefer baking quick breads with oil and the Greek yogurt made it nice and moist. Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
  5. Glenda

    October 10, 2023 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    I loved how the addition of yogurt made this bread so moist and tender. But the cinnamon made it for me! Not sure why I hadn't thought to use cinnamon in banana bread before, but I will be from now on. Delicious!

    Reply
  6. Jill

    October 10, 2023 at 3:16 pm

    5 stars
    The yogurt gives this bread such a nice texture and I think the tip about using room temp ingredients is crucial to a good outcome. Thanks so much for a delicious recipe!

    Reply
5 from 8 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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