Banana Bread with Self-Rising Flour

Bake a loaf of tender banana bread with self-rising flour! Made with sweet overripe bananas, brown sugar, cocoa, and vanilla, this banana bread recipe is easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients. It’s packed with flavor and is sure to vanquish fast.

Banana bread recipe with self-rising flour          

I never tire of banana bread and love coming up with new recipes. And this easy banana bread with self-rising flour is the latest addition to our growing catalog of banana bread recipes.

Self-rising flour takes this banana bread to the next level because it creates a soft, bouncy texture and melt-in-your-mouth crumb. So moist and delicious!

You will taste banana flavor, chocolate, and a hint of vanilla in every single bite. Chocolate and bananas are such a delicious pairing, so it was a no-brainer to unite the two in this easy quick bread.

Homemade banana bread makes a tasty breakfast, brunch, or after-school snack for kids. My family loves it for dessert with a scoop of ice cream or as a late-night treat before bed.

It’s delicious anytime and anywhere. I usually bake a few batches because it freezes well. It’s so convenient to pull out a quick brekkie or snack. Give it a try!

For a super simple version of this, try my 4-ingredient banana bread. It’s made with bananas, self-rising flour, brown sugar, and eggs.

Or my condensed milk banana bread, which has only 3 ingredients and is one of our most-loved recipes.

And if you love easy quick bread recipes, try our Nutella bread, 3-ingredient apple bread, or this easy peanut butter bread.

Ingredients

The best thing about self-rising flour banana bread is the ingredient list is short and sweet. Nothing complicated here, just some self-rising flour, overripe bananas, and a handful of pantry staples. Please refer to the recipe card below for specific measurements.

• Bananas: Use overripe bananas for the best taste and texture. Overripe bananas are sweeter, more aromatic, and easier to mash. Let your bananas sit on the counter until they show plenty of brown spots. I found the simplest way to mash bananas is with a potato masher.
• Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder and a bit of salt. It gives the bread a soft texture and tender crumb. I’ll show you how to make your self-rising flour in the recipe card below in case you can’t find it at the store.
• Brown sugar provides extra moisture and adds rich flavor from the molasses.
• Cocoa powder gives this bread a delicious chocolate flavor. I like to use Dutch process cocoa powder because it has a smoother, more mellow flavor.
• Melted butter keeps the bread moist. Since self-rising flour contains salt, I opted for unsalted butter.
• Eggs give the bread stability and structure. Let your eggs warm to room temperature, which helps them mix well with the other ingredients. Cold eggs can be difficult to incorporate.
• Vanilla extract: I love adding a teaspoon of vanilla to enhance the flavor of this banana bread, but it’s totally optional.

How to make banana bread with self-rising flour

This is the best banana bread to make for breakfast, snacking, or dessert in a pinch. Mix it all together and pour it into a lined loaf pan for baking.

#1: Mix batter

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until fully combined.
• Sift the self-rising flour and cocoa powder into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Gently fold with a spatula until combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
• At this point, you can stir in any optional add-ins, such as chocolate chips or chopped nuts.

#2: Bake bread

• Transfer the batter to a lined baking pan and spread it out evenly. Optionally, slice a banana lengthwise and press into the top.
• Bake for at 350°F 50 to 60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, with no raw batter.
• Start checking the bread at the 45-minute mark and continue checking every 5 minutes until the bread is ready.

#3: Cool & serve

• Once fully baked, take the pan out of the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Let the bread cool in the pan for 20 minutes.
• Then use the parchment paper overhang as handles to lift the bread loaf out of the pan. Place on a wire rack and let it stand until slightly warm.
• Cut the bread into slices, and enjoy!

Baker’s tips

It happens to the best of us. You think the bread is ready, but when you slice into it, you find a pocket of gooey batter that didn’t bake through.

Although the bread is golden brown and has baked, for the proper time, you checked the bread with a toothpick and followed the instructions to a “T.” What happened?

I have a few tips and tricks to help you get the perfect moist banana bread with self-rising flour every time:

• Rotate banana bread during baking. Many ovens (even new ones) don’t distribute heat evenly. So be sure to rotate the pan at least once during baking. Doing so minimizes the chances of ending up with underbaked parts.
• Use a long skewer or a butter knife to test doneness, not a short toothpick. Since it’s such a thick, tall bread, you want to check the bread all the way through. A short toothpick will only reach that first inch, but might miss raw dough lurking further down.
• Tent the loaf pan with foil in case the bread is browning too much on the top but is still not done. This allows you to bake the bread longer while slowing down the browning.
• Bake times can vary. Every oven bakes differently. Some bake quicker or longer than others. I like to check my bread a few minutes before the baking time listed in the recipe. This easy banana bread recipe says 50 to 60 minutes. So I test around the 45-minute mark and see where the bread is at. Your banana bread might take 70 minutes, which is okay. It’s just important that your loaf is baked through.

Variations

This is the fun part! You can add all kinds of mix-ins to your banana bread with self-rising flour and change up the flavor every time you bake up a loaf. Here are some ideas to try:

• Chocolate chips: Stir 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips into the batter and sprinkle a few on top before baking. White, milk, and semisweet chocolate are delicious here.
• Walnuts: Add 1 cup of chopped walnuts to give the bread a lovely crunch. Pecans, hazelnuts, and macadamia nuts are tasty options too.
• Cinnamon: To make the bread extra cozy, add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
• Espresso powder: To highlight the chocolate flavor, add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder when sifting the cocoa powder.
• Dried fruit: Raisins, apricots, cranberries, or blueberries change this banana nut bread with self-rising flour into something fresh and fruity.
• Topping: Cream cheese frosting, maple syrup, or a knob of butter over the top make for a tasty snack.

Storage instructions

How to store self-rising flour banana bread

You can store your banana bread at room temperature for up to 3 days. I like top to use plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag to hold mine. Anything to keep shut out air from the cut bread to prevent it from drying out.

Reheat banana bread

I love to zip a slice of banana bread in the microwave for a couple of seconds. The bread becomes a little warm and delicious.

Freeze banana bread recipe using self-rising flour

Pop it in a Ziploc bag, or double wrap it in plastic wrap and tin foil, and freeze it for up to 2 months for best freshness. Let it come to room temperature before serving.

I actually find that banana bread that has been frozen and thawed is even more moist and soft than a freshly baked loaf.

FAQ’s

Can I use self-rising flour for banana bread?

Yes, you can use self-rising flour to make banana bread. There are many wonderful reasons to use self-rising flour in baking.

Self-rising flour helps to cut back on ingredients and creates banana bread that rises perfectly and is wonderfully soft and bouncy.

How ripe should bananas be?

Once bananas start turning brown with dark spots on them, they become softer. After another day or so, they will turn dark brown or black. These are the perfect bananas for banana bread!

If you aren’t ready to make banana bread, peel the bananas, put them in a freezer-friendly bag, and freeze for up to a month. Now you’ll be ready to bake delicious self-rising flour banana bread whenever the craving strikes.

How do you mash bananas?

Mashing bananas is as easy as ricing them with a potato masher. You can also beat them with your hand mixer on medium-high speed until mashed down.

Reasons to love banana bread with self-rising flour

• Taste: The bread is warm and sweet, full of delicious banana and chocolate flavors.
• Texture: Overripe bananas make a truly sumptuous banana bread. The loaf is tender and moist and will stay soft for days.
• Ease: This banana bread recipe using self-rising flour is really easy to make and the perfect opportunity to use up overripe bananas.
• Time: The recipe takes about an hour and 15 minutes, but the active prep time is just 15 minutes.

More banana bread recipes

These are a few more of my favorite banana bread recipes! They are so simple to make and deliciously sweet and soft. I bet your family will go crazy over them!

• Lemon Banana Bread
• Starbucks Banana Bread Recipe
• Bisquick Banana Bread
• Skillet Banana Bread
• Pistachio Banana Bread
• Cranberry Banana Bread
• Eggnog Banana Bread