Ricotta Banana Bread | Small Batch Bakes

This small batch ricotta banana bread is baked in a 1lb loaf tin — or made into six muffins if that is what you have — and it is, genuinely, the most delicious banana bread I have ever made. Three ripe bananas, 100g of ricotta, an egg, neutral oil, vanilla, self-raising flour, caster sugar (superfine sugar) and a pinch of both baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) combine into a batter that bakes into something extraordinarily moist, tender and subtly creamy. The ricotta is the secret — doing exactly what yoghurt does in a sponge, but with an extra layer of richness and a slight creaminess. Serve warm or cool with an extra spoonful of ricotta and a drizzle of maple syrup, and try not to eat the whole loaf in one sitting.

Why I Created This Recipe

This might just be the most delicious banana bread I’ve ever made, and it came about by happy accident! Well, maybe not entirely by accident. There was plenty of research and testing involved, but the initial idea arrived unexpectedly. Cooking for one often means having leftover ingredients in your fridge. If you like variety in your food (you’re in the right place) then I’m sure you can relate to having half a tin of this, and half a tub of that left over at the end of the week.

Ricotta is one of those ingredients that I used to rarely buy because I would use it for one specific dish and then either have to make that dish on repeat, or be unsure what to do with the rest of it. Ricotta on toast with nectarine and tomato is undoubtedly a great option, but for something a little sweeter I thought it would work so well in a banana bread.

About the Small Batch Bakes Series

Small Batch Bakes is a series dedicated to baking in smaller, more manageable quantities — recipes that give you something genuinely special without an overwhelming yield. Other recipes include the perfect apple crumble, the homemade vanilla custard, the 2 ingredient ice cream, the strawberry cheesecake crumble tarts, the citrus school cake and the tiramisu coffee crumble cake — all worth exploring if you love a bake that is achievable, beautifully sized and completely satisfying.

Why Ricotta in Banana Bread?

Adding ricotta to a banana bread batter is not an obvious move — but once you understand what it does, it makes complete sense.

Ricotta is a soft, fresh Italian cheese with a mild flavour, a fine, slightly grainy texture and a fat content of around 8–13% depending on the brand. In baking, it behaves similarly to yoghurt or soured cream — adding moisture, acidity and fat to a batter in a way that produces a noticeably more tender, more moist crumb than a standard oil-and-egg batter alone.

The acidity in ricotta reacts gently with the bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) in the batter, contributing a little additional lift and keeping the crumb light rather than dense. The fat adds richness. And the cheese itself — subtle in flavour but present in texture — gives the finished banana bread a slight creaminess.

The result is a banana bread that is moister, more tender and more interesting than most — and one that stays that way for several days, making it an excellent small batch bake for a solo cook who wants something worth coming back to across the week.

A Note on the Tin — Making This Work for What You Have

This recipe is designed for a 1lb loaf tin — the smaller of the two standard loaf tin sizes, which gives a loaf that is perfectly proportioned for a small batch. If you only have a 2lb loaf tin, do not worry. Scrunch a piece of greaseproof paper (baking paper) into a ball and place it in one half of the tin to act as a wall, then line the other half as you would normally — the scrunched paper prevents the batter from filling the whole tin and gives you a small loaf from a larger tin. It is a simple, practical solution and it works perfectly.

Alternatively, this batter makes six muffins — a lovely option if you want individual portions that are easy to grab, transport or share. The muffins bake more quickly than the loaf, so adjust the timing accordingly.

Why You'll Want to Make This Recipe

The Most Moist Banana Bread You Will Ever Make

The combination of ripe bananas, ricotta and neutral oil gives a crumb that is extraordinarily moist and tender — more so than a standard banana bread, and one that stays that way for several days after baking. It is the kind of banana bread that makes you reconsider every banana bread you have made before.

A Brilliant Use of Leftover Ricotta

If you have a tub of ricotta in the fridge with no obvious plan for it, this is the recipe to make. It uses exactly 100g — roughly half a standard 250g tub — and the rest can be served alongside the finished loaf as an extra topping. No waste, no guesswork.

Small Batch, Perfectly Sized

Baked in a 1lb loaf tin, this makes a small, beautifully proportioned loaf that is ideal for one or two people — enough to enjoy across the week without an overwhelming quantity going stale. Or make six muffins for individual portions that are easy to share or pack up for lunch.

Five Minutes of Mixing

There is no creaming, no stand mixer and no particular technique required here — mash the bananas, combine the wet ingredients, fold in the dry, bake. The whole thing is mixed in one bowl with a fork and a spoon in around five minutes. Simple, unfussy and completely reliable.

My Top Tips for the Perfect Ricotta Banana Bread

• Use quite ripe bananas — the riper the better. The banana is both the primary flavour and the primary sweetener in this recipe, and an under-ripe banana will give a pale, starchy, barely-banana flavour. Look for bananas that are well spotted or almost entirely brown — at this point the starches have fully converted to sugars and the flavour is at its most intense and sweet. If your bananas are not quite ripe enough, place them unpeeled on a baking tray and roast at 180°C for 10–15 minutes until the skins are blackened and the flesh inside is soft and sweet.
• Mash the bananas to a smooth paste rather than leaving them chunky. A few small lumps are fine, but a mostly smooth mash ensures the banana flavour distributes evenly through the batter and the texture of the finished loaf is consistent throughout.
• Use a neutral oil — avocado, sunflower or vegetable oil all work well. Avoid strongly flavoured oils like extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil, which will compete with the delicate flavour of the banana and ricotta.
• Make sure the ricotta is at room temperature before mixing. Cold ricotta can be lumpy and does not incorporate as smoothly into the batter — leaving it out of the fridge for 30 minutes before you start gives a more even, lump-free result.
• Fold the dry ingredients in gently with a spoon until just combined — do not over-mix. Over-working the batter once the flour goes in develops gluten, which can make the finished loaf dense and slightly tough rather than tender and moist. A few remaining streaks of flour are fine; they will disappear during baking.
• Line the tin generously with greaseproof paper (baking paper) and leave some overhang on the sides — banana bread can be sticky and the overhang makes it much easier to lift the loaf out cleanly once baked.
• Test for doneness with a skewer or a thin knife inserted into the centre of the loaf. It should come out clean with no wet batter attached — a few moist crumbs are fine. Start checking at 35 minutes for the loaf and 20 minutes for the muffins.
• The loaf will take 35–40 minutes in a 1lb tin; muffins will take 20–25 minutes. Every oven runs slightly differently, so use the skewer test rather than the timer as your primary guide.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before lifting out onto a wire rack. Banana bread is fragile when very hot and will crumble if turned out immediately — the brief rest in the tin allows it to firm up slightly before handling.
• Serve with an extra spoonful of ricotta and a drizzle of maple syrup — warm from the oven, at room temperature or cold from the fridge, all are excellent. The ricotta on top echoes the creaminess of the loaf and the maple syrup adds a gentle, caramel sweetness that works beautifully alongside the banana.

Ingredients and Tools You'll Need

Essential Ingredients

• 3 small bananas, quite ripe – the primary flavour and sweetener; the riper the better
• 100g ricotta – at room temperature; the secret to an exceptionally moist, tender and creamy crumb
• 1 egg – binds the batter and adds structure
• 80ml neutral oil – avocado, sunflower or vegetable; keeps the loaf moist
• 1 tsp vanilla extract – rounds out the flavour
• 150g self-raising flour – provides structure and lift; do not substitute with plain flour (all-purpose flour) without adding extra raising agents
• 100g caster sugar (superfine sugar) – sweetens the batter alongside the natural sweetness of the bananas
• ½ tsp baking powder – additional lift
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) – reacts with the acidity of the ricotta for a light, tender crumb

To Serve

• Extra ricotta – a generous spoonful alongside each slice; serve at room temperature for the creamiest result
• Maple syrup – drizzled over the top; optional but highly recommended

Essential Tools

• 1lb loaf tin — or a 2lb loaf tin with the scrunched paper trick (see the tin note above) or a 6-hole muffin tin
• Greaseproof paper (baking paper) — for lining the tin
• Large mixing bowl — for mashing the bananas and combining the batter
• Fork — for mashing the bananas and mixing the wet ingredients
• Spoon — for folding in the dry ingredients
• Skewer or thin knife — for testing doneness

Storage

Storing

Store the cooled loaf wrapped in greaseproof paper (baking paper) or in a sealed container at room temperature for up to three days. The banana bread stays moist and tender throughout — it is excellent on day two and three as the banana flavour deepens slightly.

Refrigerating

If your kitchen is warm or you want to keep the loaf for longer, store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to five days. Allow slices to come to room temperature before eating, or warm briefly in a toaster or low oven.

Freezing

This banana bread freezes beautifully. Slice before freezing — individual slices can be wrapped tightly in cling film (plastic wrap) and frozen for up to three months. Defrost at room temperature or toast from frozen for a warm, slightly crisp slice. Serve with ricotta and maple syrup as usual.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Greek yoghurt instead of ricotta?

Yes — Greek yoghurt has similar moisture, fat and acidity levels to ricotta and works very well as a substitute in the same quantity. The slight creaminess that ricotta adds will be less pronounced, but the loaf will still be moist and tender. Full-fat Greek yoghurt gives the best result — low-fat versions contain more water and can make the batter slightly wetter than intended.

What if I only have a 2lb loaf tin?

Use the scrunched paper trick — scrunch a piece of greaseproof paper (baking paper) into a ball and place it in one half of the tin to act as a wall, then line the other half as you would normally. The batter fills only half the tin, giving you a small loaf from a larger tin. It is a simple fix that works perfectly.

Can I make this as muffins instead of a loaf?

Yes — this batter makes six muffins. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper cases and divide the batter evenly. Bake at the same temperature for 20–25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean. The muffins are a great option for individual portions that are easy to share, pack up or grab for breakfast.

My banana bread is dense — what went wrong?

The most likely cause is over-mixing once the flour goes in. Folding the dry ingredients in gently with a spoon until just combined is all that is needed — over-working the batter develops gluten and gives a denser, tougher crumb. Another possible cause is under-ripe bananas, which do not have the same natural sugars and moisture as fully ripe ones and can give a denser, less flavourful result.

Can I add extra flavourings?

Yes — this batter is very accommodating. A pinch of cinnamon or mixed spice folded into the dry ingredients adds warmth; a handful of dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts adds texture; a teaspoon of instant espresso powder intensifies the flavour in a direction that works beautifully with banana. Keep additions to a moderate quantity so they complement rather than overwhelm the banana and ricotta flavours.

Is this recipe part of the Small Batch Bakes series?

Yes — this ricotta banana bread is the third recipe in the Small Batch Bakes series, designed for a 1lb loaf tin or six muffins. Other recipes in the series include the perfect apple crumble, the homemade vanilla custard, the 2 ingredient ice cream, the strawberry cheesecake crumble tarts, the citrus school cake and the tiramisu coffee crumble cake.