How to Store Banana Bread

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Banana bread is one of life’s great inventions. The very definition of thriftiness lies in the use of leftover bananas being turned into this delicious baked treat.

Having an abundance of bananas can lead to having an abundance of banana bread, and whilst that is not something we would ever complain about, we do worry about storing it all. Well…we did worry about storing it all.

After some meticulous research and some trial and error experiments of our own, we have finally cracked the code of keeping banana bread fresh for as long as possible. In this article, we are going to be exploring how you can store banana bread. 

Step by step guide for general banana bread storage 

  1. First thing’s first, you should never try to wrap or store banana bread while it is still hot. Doing this can cause steam and condensation, leading it to get soggy and giving bacteria a chance to produce. The banana bread will go bad much quicker if you wrap it too soon. For this reason, you should allow the banana bread a few hours of cooling time at room temperature before you prepare it for storage.  
  2. When you have your cooled banana bread decide how much you want to store. If you plan to eat some fresh that day, cut that off and set it aside. If your banana bread is already a day or two old, then you can just keep it as it is. Wrap your leftover banana bread tightly in some plastic wrap such as Saran wrap. You should ensure that no air is left inside and that there are no air bubbles or spaces. This will prevent the bread from going dry and will also help condensation stop building.  
  3. You can wrap the leftover banana bread whole if you wish, or you can cut it into individual single serve slices. If you do the latter then you need to wrap each of them separately, following the instructions in the previous step, step 2.  
  4. The wrap that you use to cover the slices or loaf should be twice the size of the slices of loaves. This is to ensure they have adequate covering around them and that no parts of the bread are left exposed to the air.  
  5. If you just want to keep your banana bread for a day or so, to keep it protected whilst you and your family nibble on it, then you can place the plastic or Saran wrapped pieces or loaf in an airtight container that is large enough to fit them. They will not keep for the long term like this but they will stay protected for one or two days.  
  6. If you would like to extend the life of your banana bread for around a week, then you should place the wrapped pieces of loaves inside a container and refrigerate them. This will keep them fresher for longer and will give them a more solid texture, perfect for breakfast! 
  7. For even longer shelf life, banana bread can also be frozen. Head on over to the next section to find out exactly how to do this. 

Freezing banana bread 

Banana bread can also be frozen to keep it for as long as possible. This is a great option if you happen to have made a ton of banana bread and there is just no way that a human can feasibly eat it in time.

See our guide below to learn all about how you can freeze your banana bread to make it last longer. 

  1. Like our guide above for storing banana bread, it is important to remember that you cannot freeze banana bread that is still warm. This means that you need to leave it to cool down for a few hours when it is fresh out of the oven.  
  2. When you have your cooled pieces of banana bread you can proceed with wrapping them. You can either cut them into single serve slices or you can freeze a portion of the loaf – the choice is completely yours.  
  3. If wrapping the slices was important in the previous guide, then it is even more important here. When you are freezing leftovers, regardless of what they are, you are at risk of having foods with freezer burn. This is where there is the air around the food and the food is left exposed.Ice can form around the food and the food can take on the smells of other foods in the freezer. For this reason, it is absolutely essential that you wrap your pieces of banana bed tightly and thoroughly, ensuring no gaps are left and no spaces are left for air to move around.
     
  4. When the pieces or loaf have been tightly wrapped in saran wrap, you should then place the pieces into an airtight freezer safe container or freezer bag. If you have individual slices, they can be placed in the bags or containers together, provided of course that they have already been wrapped in plastic or Saran wrap. Then, in a clear, visible space on the bag or container, you should place a sticker, tab or write directly on there the date that you have frozen them and what exactly is in there (not that you will forget about the banana bread, of course, it’s just that all leftovers can look similar after being frozen for a while). 
  5. You can now place them in the freezer where they can stay for up to 3 to 4 months. 

Defrosting banana bread 

If you have kept the banana bread in the refrigerator or on your work top in an airtight box you can simply eat it as it is. However, if you have frozen it to preserve it for longer you will need to defrost the bread before eating it. 

To do this all you have to do is remove the amount you need from the freezer. If they are already in slices you can simply unwrap the number of slices you need and leave them on a plate on your worktop for around 30 minutes.

This should thaw them out well. If you still find that they are frozen then try another 30 minutes. Another tip for the slices is to place them in the microwave for 30 seconds.

This works really well and the result is a slice of banana bread that tastes as though it is fresh from the oven. 

Our favorite way to defrost a whole loaf or half a loaf of banana bread is to quick bake it. Simply unwrap the banana bread and place it into a baking tin or an oven safe dish with foil loosely around it.

Put it into a preheated oven (350 degrees Fahrenheit should be great) and leave it in there for around one hour to one and a half hours, depending on the size of it.

Let it cool and be amazed at this banana bread that will look, smell, and most importantly taste freshly made.

Conclusion 

…and there you have it! Our easy as pie guide to storing your banana bread. You will never have to waste it again! Happy eating, folks!  Btw, if you love banana bread, you might love our banana bread muffin recipe!