Oh the faithful decadence of banana bread. Its sweet smell fills a kitchen and its warmth is like forbidden love in the afternoon. Disneyland’s version is as magical as expected and comes to the level of sublime with a pat of butter. It’s honestly one of my favorite banana bread recipes and is crazy reliable.

I mean do you really have everything you ever wanted if you don’t have fresh banana bread?

Interestingly, this recipe is extraordinarily close to the Starbuck’s recipe. The major difference is that Starbucks uses vegetable oil for the fat, while Disneyland uses butter. I’ve made both, and the butter version is just as moist (oh that word) and just takes me to a happier place.

anyone can cook – but here’s how to make it perfect

• Use overly ripe bananas and smash them.
• Make sure baking soda is not more than six months old. This is a common baking error.
• Hand mix instead of using electric beater.
• Watch carefully to not underbake or overbake. Times can vary due to type of pan and ovens.
• Refrigerate leftovers as bananas will spoil. Reheat when eating leftovers.

my banana bread gets around

I make banana bread regularly because we often have bananas that get too ripe and slimy for everyday use. It’s also an easy, quick but fashionable standby for taking to your curious new neighbor, your friend who loaned you their RV, the homebound Alabama cousin who didn’t get their vaccination, or your colleagues at work that you pissed off yesterday.

Of course, it goes camping like an Eagle Scout and survives the rides at the theme parks. Honestly, you should be the very best version of yourself and make one for everyone in your loop next time you’re at Fort Wilderness.

This recipe makes just one loaf, but you can easily double it.

Print Recipe

4.63 from 8 votes

Disneyland Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup), melted I use Lands-O-Lake
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/8 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour I use King Arthur
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp water
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup Turbinado sugar not in original recipe

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mash the bananas and press down to fill up a whole cup. If you wash your hands well (or glove them), you can mash with hands. This is fun in a kind of twisted way.
• Sift flour, salt and baking soda together. Hand stir very well and set aside.
• Mix white sugar and melted butter by hand until well combined.
• Whisk the egg and stir it into the butter-sugar mixture.
• Stir bananas and vanilla into the wet mixture and and combine well.
• Combine the wet mixture with the flour mixture and hand stir well. Stop stirring once it is well combined - don't overdo it.
• Pour mixture into a greased and floured loaf pan. Sprinkle top with Turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 45 minutes in 350 degree oven. Check and see if center is firm and is a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. If not, cook for about 5 more minutes and repeat test. Some ovens and pans will take up to 60 minutes But don't overbake!
• If you'd like to make muffins instead, start with cooking them for about 20 minutes if they are standard-sized (but keep an eye on them after 15 minutes).

Related: OMG I Made Dollywood’s Cinnamon Bread and It Was That Good