Everyone loves their grandma, but I have to take a second to brag because my grandma is pretty exceptional, and something of a local celebrity here at Allrecipes. Even though she celebrated her 101st birthday in September, she’s just as sharp and hilarious as she’s ever been. I love to write about my Nana because she has strong opinions on just about everything, but specifically food.

But here’s the thing—and don’t tell her I said this—she’s not the most prolific or amazing cook. As I wrote before, “Unlike many Allrecipes readers, I did not grow up with intricate pies and comforting casseroles gracing every visit to Grandma’s.” From heat-and-eat sides she passes off as homemade to Trader Joe’s treats, my grandma is no stranger to a store-bought shortcut.

However, there are a few dishes she makes from scratch, and makes darn well. Banana bread is probably number one on the list. It was the one sweet treat she made for me and my sister as kids every time we visited, without fail—likely because it was a favorite of my grandpa’s, too. And I’ll be honest, I thought my grandma’s banana bread came from a boxed mix (as was the case with so many of my other childhood favorite desserts).

When I called her recently to ask for her secret to her banana bread, I was surprised to hear her secret is really not so secret at all, but it’s a tip that ensures the sweetest, most moist banana bread every time, no matter what recipe (or boxed mix) you use.

My Grandma’s Best Tip for Banana Bread

“The bananas have to be really, really ripe,” is what my Nana told me. It seems like a no-brainer, but your definition of ripe is probably not the same as my grandma’s.

If you’re picturing a yellow banana with brown spots, I’m sorry to say, you’re wrong. We’re really talking overripe, not ripe, with a dark brown-to-black color throughout the peel. The bananas should be so soft that they barely require mashing.

It may sound off-putting, but my Nana is not wrong. In fact, when I worked in a bakery, if the bananas we used for our banana bread mix were not ripe enough, we would put them on a sheet tray and bake them at a super low temperature until they were dark brown and so soft that the fruit practically slid out of the peel.

Why Do Bananas Need to Be Ripe for Banana Bread?

The longer you allow a banana to ripen, the more the starches inside it break down into simple sugars. The pectin also breaks down, making it soften. Simply put, the sugar content goes up and the texture gets softer—two qualities you want for the base of your banana bread. The more natural sweetness and moisture in the fruit, the less you have to add to the final recipe.

You can also achieve the same result by freezing and thawing bananas; This tip actually took top spot in our taste test of tips for moist banana bread.

If you’re impatient or can’t wait for those bananas to brown on their own, there are many ways to ripen bananas faster. Or, sometimes, to speed up the process, I will mash my bananas and add a teaspoon or two of sugar and let it macerate for a few minutes while I prepare my other ingredients. This allows the bananas to release their natural sugars and juices, much like the ripening (or freezing and thawing) process.

Is my grandma’s tip revolutionary? No. But it is one that will fundamentally improve your loaf. And to this day, her banana bread is still the best I’ve ever had, so heed her advice and let those bananas sit just a little longer. Oh, and one more tip from Nana: If a recipe ever calls for 2-3 bananas always go with 3. You’re welcome!