How to Make Banana Bread in a Mug

Got the midnight munchies? Get your banana bread fix in just five minutes with this incredibly easy and moist microwaveable banana bread recipe — that’s made in a mug!

For all you skeptics out there thinking, “Banana bread is a perfect food — if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, here are 8 reasons to make banana bread in a mug:

  1. This recipe boasts built-in portion control. (Thank us later.)
  2. Your banana bread levels are low, and you need to get banana bread in your mouth in the next five minutes.
  3. There’s that one last ripe banana in the fruit bowl that you need to eat before leaving for vacation.
  4. Pretend to get out of bed to go to the bathroom — but secretly slip into the kitchen, make two mugs of banana bread, and surprise your sweetheart with a delicious, no-mess breakfast in bed.
  5. You belong to a family of banana-phobes. (More banana bread for you, we say — but while you may need banana bread, you may not need an entire loaf of banana bread sitting on the counter calling out to you like, “Eat me!”)
  6. Solo sweet tooth? We know how frustratingly few single-serving recipes for baked goodies there are out there.
  7. No oven? No problem!
  8. You love our Nutella mug cake and eggless chocolate mug cake — and you just need more microwave mug cake recipes in your life.

But knowing that you can dig into homemade banana bread in five minutes with just a microwave and a mug, you don’t really need convincing, do you?

Banana Bread in a Mug

Makes 1 Serving
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 ripe banana, mashed
  • 1 egg
  • 1 Tablespoon buttermilk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 Tablespoon melted coconut oil or other oil
  • 3 Tablespoons flour
  • 3 Tablespoons brown sugar
  • ⅛ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)

Optional Toppings

  • Whipped cream
  • 1 Tablespoon toasted and chopped pecans
  • Banana slices
  • Powdered sugar

Directions

  1. In a large, microwave-safe coffee mug, mash your ripe banana. Add the egg, buttermilk, vanilla extract, oil, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Mix to combine.
  2. “Bake” it in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. (You can stop and check for doneness at the 90-second or 2-minute mark.)
  3. The banana bread will be very hot, so allow it to cool for a few minutes before eating it.
  4. Top with whipped cream, pecans, and sliced banana, if desired.

Recipe adapted from Pass the Sushi.