Don't let your banana bread go bad before you enjoy every slice.
Molly Allen is a previous bakery owner and freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience focused on food and beverage, lifestyle, travel and parties. Her work has been published in Taste of Home, HuffPost, and Brides, among others. When she’s not writing or baking, she can be found hiking or paddleboarding near Hood River, Oregon, where she calls home. Commercial Display Refrigerator
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Banana bread is a classic treat, whether you’re enjoying it with a cup of coffee at breakfast or taking a piece for an on-the-go afternoon snack. It’s the ideal use for leftover, overripe bananas, and each slice of the quick bread can be served on its own or deliciously topped with butter or peanut butter.
But once you’ve baked the perfect loaf, how exactly should you store this timeless treat? Below, learn how to store banana bread to keep it fresh and moist, because the last thing you want to do is bite into a stale, dry slice.
Wrapped well and stored at room temperature, banana bread will last about five days. If stored in the fridge, it should last a full week.
A frozen loaf of banana bread will last up to a year in the freezer, wrapped well with storage wrap and aluminum foil. But for the best flavor, you should thaw and eat it within three months.
Once a loaf of banana bread is fully baked and taken out of the oven, it’s crucial to allow it to fully cool. Banana bread retains heat, especially in the center of the loaf. If the loaf is still warm once it’s wrapped for storage, condensation can form, which can lead to mold. Ensuring the whole loaf has fully cooled, which takes about one to two hours, will aid in better storage for longer-lasting banana bread. For best results, remove the bread from its pan after about 10 or so minutes and leave it to finish cooling on a rack.
If you’re planning to eat your banana bread within three to four days, it can be left out on a counter or table overnight at room temperature. (Although some recipes with add-ins, like cream cheese banana bread, shouldn't be left out.) After that, the bread starts to stale. To keep it fresh, place a paper towel in the bottom of an airtight container. Place the loaf of banana bread on top, add another paper towel, and put the lid on the container.
You can also use this method with an airtight storage bag. The goal is to keep air away from the loaf to prevent it from drying out while using paper towels to soak up excess moisture and avoid molding.
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox
Many people love a slice of cold banana bread with butter on top. If that’s your preference, you can absolutely store your loaf in the fridge. Just know that this method will cause the banana bread to dry out faster than leaving it at room temperature or in the freezer. The bread can also lose some of its flavor in the fridge.
To store banana bread in the fridge, wrap it in plastic wrap, making sure the entire loaf is covered. Place the wrapped loaf in an airtight container or airtight storage bag. Store the banana bread in the fridge for seven days.
Hoping to make several loaves of banana bread to keep on hand? Good news: Banana bread freezes really well.
Once the loaf is fully cooled, cover it in plastic wrap. Then, wrap the loaf in aluminum foil. This will ensure it’s airtight and will keep the loaf from drying out and avoid freezer burn. Store the wrapped loaf in the freezer for up to three months for the best flavor. Label your wrapped loaf with the date to make things easier when you're cleaning out your freezer in the future.
If you’d rather store pre-cut slices of banana bread in the freezer instead, you can use the same method. Slice the banana bread, and wrap each slice in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Some recommend this method as slices are easier to thaw than a full loaf.
If you have banana bread tucked away in the freezer, take it out to thaw and enjoy a treat. To thaw, leave the loaf wrapped and let it sit out on the counter for two to three hours to fully thaw.
If you’d prefer to speed up the process, remove the plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Wrap the loaf back up in the foil, and place it in the oven. Then, turn the oven on to 350° F, and leave the banana bread in the oven to warm for 45 to 60 minutes. Keeping it wrapped in foil will help to retain its moisture while slowly warming it up to temperature and thawing the bread.
Banana bread makes an excellent food gift. But if you’re baking fresh loaves for friends and family, make sure it’s wrapped up to keep it moist and delicious.
Deli Showcase Freezers To ensure you’re gifting the best freshly baked banana bread, cover the fully cooled loaf in plastic wrap first. Then, place the loaf in a cellophane bag or wrap it in parchment paper. Tie the bag or wrapped loaf with a bow, and add a sweet note on a gift tag.