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–+ servings
Close-up of three slices of Dorm-Friendly banana bread with a rich cinnamon swirl inside and a glossy topping.

Homemade Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

This recipe makes a simple cinnamon swirl banana bread that is suitable for small kitchens or dorm rooms. It is an economical recipe.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 8 slices
Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Banana Bread
  • 3 large ripe bananas mashed
  • 1/3 cup melted butter
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
For the Cinnamon Swirl
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 Tbsp softened butter

Equipment

  • 9x5-inch Loaf Pan
  • Mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Spatula

Method
 

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the mashed bananas, melted butter, egg, vanilla extract, and granulated sugar until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Prepare the cinnamon swirl: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and softened butter until crumbly.
  5. Pour half of the banana bread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon swirl mixture evenly over the batter.
  6. Top with the remaining banana bread batter, then sprinkle the rest of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top.
  7. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover it with foil for the last 15 minutes of baking.
  8. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

For a moister bread, you can substitute the granulated sugar with an equal amount of packed brown sugar in the main batter, reducing the swirl sugar slightly if you prefer less sweetness.

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