Banana bread has soared in popularity recently and was one of the most searched recipes on Google in 2020.
It’s delicious, simple to make, and relatively healthy because of all the potassium in bananas.
Banana bread tastes best when it is just cooled after coming out of the oven. However, if there aren’t several people around to eat it immediately, you may want to keep your banana bread for a while longer. In that case, you are probably wondering how long it will stay good.
Bottom line: Of course, your banana bread will go bad. In fact, as a moist cake, its shelf life is pretty short.
The question is, how long will it take to spoil, and how can you tell once it has?
Homemade Vs. Store Bought
When it comes to the shelf life of banana bread, it depends very much on the particular recipe and whether it is homemade or store-bought. If you make your own banana bread, you can control what goes inside it, and it will be fresh, delicious, and free from preservatives. Of course, sometimes you get that craving, and you don’t have the time or energy to bake, in which case store-bought banana bread is just fine.
Store-bought banana bread can be made in a variety of ways. Because of all the uncertainties involved, it’s probably best to be extra cautious. Check the packaging for a best-before date and use that as a guide. It will usually last a day or two after that, but if you are uncertain at all, throw it out.
If there are no guidelines on the packaging, try asking a store clerk. It’s also a good idea to find out whether the banana bread should be refrigerated or not, as this can vary.
Homemade banana bread also varies, as there are many different recipes. Check to see if your recipe includes guidelines about storage, and follow those. If it doesn’t, keep reading to find out the typical shelf life of banana bread.
Proper Storage Of Banana Bread
When it comes to store-bought banana bread, you should find out from the packaging or a store clerk whether it should be refrigerated or not. If you can’t find out, the safest bet is to refrigerate it. Store it in its packaging, or wrap it in foil or plastic wrap.
If you are making your own banana bread, be sure to remove it from the tin as soon as you take it out of the oven and leave it to cool before storing it. Storing it warm or keeping it in the tin can encourage mold to develop,
Freshly baked banana bread can be stored in the pantry, kitchen cabinet, or refrigerator. Keeping it in the fridge will extend its shelf life but will also cause it to lose some of that lovely fresh flavor. If you don’t refrigerate it, just be sure to keep it somewhere cool, dry, and out of the sun.
The most important thing to remember about storing banana bread is to keep it in an airtight container or wrap it in foil or plastic wrap. This will prevent it from going stale or spoiling too quickly.
Banana bread can be frozen if you want it to last longer. You can slice it into quarters or individual slices before freezing if you want to eat it bit by bit. Just make sure you wrap it well or put it in a freezer bag.
Shelf Life Of Banana Bread
Freshly baked banana bread is likely to last no more than a day or two outside of the refrigerator. After that, it may start to develop mold. If you live somewhere especially hot or humid, the shelf life will probably be closer to one day.
Refrigerating your banana bread will extend its shelf life to 6-7 days, provided it is properly sealed. It’s a good idea to do this if you can’t finish the banana bread quickly. However, be aware that it will lose some of its freshness of flavor in the fridge.
Frozen banana bread can last up to a month or so. When thawing your banana bread, you can do it in the fridge overnight or on the countertop for a couple of hours. Or, you could put it straight into the toaster for some banana toast, delicious with butter!
When it comes to store-bought banana bread, you should generally follow the guidelines of the packaging. Most banana bread should still be okay a day or two after the best-before date but exercise caution.
Even if you refrigerate it, don’t try to keep store-bought banana bread more than a couple of days after the best-by date. There are too many uncertainties involved, and it’s best to be on the safe side.
Is This Banana Bread Still Good?
There are a few ways to tell whether your banana bread is still safe to eat or not. It shouldn’t be too hard to exercise your judgment.
Mold is the number one giveaway for spoiled banana bread. If you see any, toss it out. Don’t simply cut off the moldy bits– mold is a sign that bacteria have penetrated the entire loaf.
Even if the banana bread isn’t moldy yet, if there are any signs of discoloration, this also means it has begun to spoil. Throw it out.
If you can’t see anything strange about the banana bread’s appearance, give it a smell. An odd or bad odor is a telltale sign of spoilage. If it smells okay, taste a bit. Your tastebuds will tell you whether there’s any reason for doubt.
If you’re not sure, it’s better to be on the safe side and discard the banana bread. But if it looks, smells, and tastes good, then it probably is. With store-bought banana bread, however, you should be more cautious as additives can prevent bad smells even though the banana bread is no longer safe to eat.
In Summary: Banana Bread
- If the banana bread is store-bought, check the packaging for a best-before date or ask a store clerk. If it is a recipe, look to see if there are any guidelines.
- You can store banana bread in the pantry, fridge, or freezer, but make sure it is in a sealed container or wrapped up tightly.
- After baking, remove banana bread from the tin and leave it to cool before storing.
- Homemade banana bread will last 1-2 days in the pantry, 6-7 days in the fridge, and up to a month if frozen.
- Store-bought banana bread can last 1-2 days after its best-before date but exercise caution.
- Mold, discoloration, and a bad odor are signs of spoilage and mean you should throw away your banana bread.
The best kind of banana bread is homemade, fresh from the oven. However, if you can’t eat it up immediately, follow the above guidelines for proper storage and extended shelf life. Banana bread can spoil easily, so caution is the best policy.
