Air Fryer Banana Bread

Air Fryer Banana Bread is moist, packed with banana flavor and bakes in about 50 minutes – no need to turn the oven on. Part banana loaf, part banana cake, it is the best way to use up those brown bananas!

You will also love my Air Fryer Brownies!

I love banana bread so much. And my husband loves it even more even though he doesn’t have a sweet tooth (much to my astonishment).

There are several banana bread recipes on this site, so why share a new one? Well, this one is made for the air fryer, and trust me when I say it is one of the best yet.

Moist, packed with banana flavor and super-easy to throw together – a toasted slice spread with butter is truly heavenly!

Can You Air Fry Banana Bread?

Every day I seem to discover yet another dish that can be made quickly and economically in the air fryer. The air fryer is, after all, a mini convection oven where fan circulated air is used to cook.

I have been using my Cosori 5.8QT  to bake cakes, bread, brownies, cookies and donuts as well as full roast dinners.

This air fryer banana bread is a great way to use up those brown bananas that are destined for the compost bin. It takes just five minutes to mix the batter and only 45–50 minutes to bake. Call it banana bread, banana loaf or air fryer banana cake – it is soft and sweet enough to count as all three.

What readers say

“It was delicious, and I’m obsessed. It’s now my go-to banana bread recipe.”

Victoria T

Here’s What You Will Need

Baking tools: I always weigh my ingredients for the best results – my Baking Conversion Calculator converts between cups and grams. You can find the tins, scales and air fryers I use in my Kitchen Shop.

I baked my banana bread in a 2 pound (900g) loaf tin. You need to check whether this fits comfortably in the basket of your air fryer. Loaf tins of this size vary in shape – a wider tin bakes a flatter loaf, while a longer, narrower tin gives a taller one.

• Bananas – the riper the better. Brown, spotty bananas are sweeter, mash easily and give the most banana flavor.
• Vegetable oil – keeps the banana bread soft and moist for days. Melted butter or coconut oil work too.
• Large eggs – at room temperature, so they mix in evenly.
• Sugar – soft light brown sugar gives the best flavor. Granulated or superfine (caster) sugar also work.
• All-purpose flour (plain flour) – weigh it on digital scales if you can. Too much flour makes the loaf dry.
• Baking powder – make sure it is fresh, especially if you don’t bake often.
• Vanilla extract and ground cinnamon – for warmth and flavor.
• Turbinado sugar (demerara) – sprinkled over the top for a little crunch.

Love baking in your air fryer?

My cookbook, Easy Air Fryer Bakes, will show you how to harness the power of baking in the air fryer and achieve anything from pavlovas and celebration cakes to decadent desserts, savory bakes and even bread. Order now

My cookbook, Easy Air Fryer Bakes, covers everything from pavlovas and celebration cakes to savory bakes and bread. Order now

How to Make Air Fryer Banana Bread

↓ For the full ingredients and detailed method, jump to the recipe card.

1. Sift the light brown sugar, flour, baking powder and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. This is best practice when using soft light brown sugar as it tends to clump together.
2. Chop the bananas, add to a mixing bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Alternatively you can blitz them in a blender or mini chopper.

1. Add the oil, eggs and vanilla into the bananas and mix well. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, stirring until no dry streaks of flour remain and the batter is smooth. Don’t over-mix – use a light touch.

1. Preheat the air fryer to 320°F (160°C) for five minutes. Pour the batter into a lined and greased 2 pound (900g) loaf pan. Tap the pan on the counter to settle any air bubbles. Sprinkle with the sugar.

1. Place into the air fryer basket. Bake for 45–50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 200–205°F (93–96°C). If the banana bread is not quite baked then continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Cool on a wire rack, slice and enjoy for breakfast or as a treat.

Baker’s tip

Do Not Overfill the Tin

This batter rises a lot as it bakes. Fill your loaf tin no more than three-quarters full, and make sure there is clear space between the top of the tin and the heating element. Any batter left over can be baked as a few muffins.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• Air fryers vary in capacity, wattage and efficiency so cooking times are approximate unless you use the same model and loaf pan as me. Start checking on your banana bread after 30 minutes and make sure to bake it until it passes the toothpick test.
• You don’t need to use a special setting on your air fryer – simply set the cooking time and temperature.
• Make sure the pan fits into the air fryer before embarking on this recipe. A straight edged box type loaf tin should work. You can also use an 8-inch round cake tin.
• Store the banana bread in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to five days or freeze, whole or in slices, for up to three months.
• The banana bread tastes best served slightly warm – heat for a few seconds in the microwave or pop in the toaster.
• I would not advise adding nuts or chocolate chips etc into this banana bread, simply because the batter is just enough for the loaf pan. If you overfill it the bread can rise too much and could burn on top.

Variations

• Sugar: soft light brown sugar gives a deeper, more caramel flavor. Granulated or superfine (caster) sugar keeps the loaf lighter in color.
• Oil or butter: vegetable oil keeps the crumb soft for days. Melted butter or coconut oil both work if you prefer.
• Round tin: no loaf tin that fits? Use an 8-inch round cake tin and call it air fryer banana cake.
• Muffins: for individual bakes try my Banana Bread Muffins.
• Sourdough: if you keep a starter, my Sourdough Discard Banana Bread is a great way to use up the discard.

Serving Suggestions

Banana bread tastes best slightly warm. Toast a slice and spread it with butter, or try it the way one reader does – with Greek yogurt and a spoonful of jam for breakfast. My Easy Blackberry Jam and Slow Cooker Apple Butter are both lovely with it.

Storing and Freezing

• Room temperature: keep the banana bread in an airtight tin for up to five days.
• Freezer: freeze the loaf whole or in slices for up to three months. Slices can go straight into the toaster.
• Reheat: warm a slice for a few seconds in the microwave, or pop it in the toaster.

Check Out My Other Air Fryer Recipes

Dessert

Chocolate Lava Cake Recipe (Air Fryer, Instant Pot or Oven!)

Cookies & Bars

Air Fryer Cookies

Air Fryer

Air Fryer Cheesecake

Bread, Muffins, Donuts and Pastries

Easy Lemon Curd Muffins (Air Fryer or Oven)

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes! Bake it in a 2 pound (900g) loaf tin at 320°F (160°C) for 45–50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the internal temperature reaches 200–205°F (93–96°C). There is no special setting – just set the time and temperature.

I use a 2 pound (900g) straight-sided loaf tin. Check that it fits comfortably in your air fryer basket before you start. An 8-inch round cake tin also works. One reader bakes it in a 2 pound loaf tin, which took 50 minutes.

The tin was too full or sat too close to the element. Fill the tin no more than three-quarters full and bake any extra batter as muffins. If your air fryer has a removable rack, taking it out gives the loaf more room.

Both! In the UK it is often called banana loaf or banana cake. It is baked in a loaf tin like bread, but it is as soft and sweet as a cake.

I would not advise it for this recipe. The batter is just enough for the loaf tin, and extras can make the loaf rise too much and burn on top.

Start checking after 30 minutes, as air fryers vary. The banana bread is ready when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. If it is not quite baked, cook it for a couple of minutes more.

Up to five days in an airtight tin at room temperature, or up to three months in the freezer, whole or sliced.

Troubleshooting