One of the first things I noticed when I moved to Japan was how rare ovens were here! In the U.S., large ovens are a standard in any home, even rented ones, and while I admit I hadn’t appreciated the ovens in my life more (they usually served as extra storage space for pots and pans instead…), as they say, you never know what you have until it’s gone. And as if cursed by some oven god, I suddenly had the urge to bake things, despite now owning only a microwave. It has an “oven” function, but we all know that button is a lie.

   I’ve tried to bake a number of things with said microwave, but none have been as successful as banana bread. It’s simple and not finicky – perfect for an inexperienced baker like me! Also, since I started owning rabbits, I’ve learned they go absolutely bonkers for bananas and always have some in stock, but because they can only be given as a small treat, we often neglect to finish them before they start turning brown. That’s where the banana bread comes in! It’s the perfect no-waste solution if you find yourself, for some reason, with an abundance of overripe bananas.

   As an inexperienced baker, the method I’m introducing is as barebones, whip-it-up-in-minutes as I could possibly make it, but if you prefer to do it your own way (say, using an electric mixer rather than a fork or separating wet and dry ingredients before combining), please do so! Banana bread is unfussy, so most changes to the recipe or method will not affect the outcome. The only thing I would be cautious of, however, is what you’ll be using to bake it! I use a 1000W microwave on the “oven” setting for this recipe, meaning I can preheat and set the temperature, but if you have a different cooking apparatus, you may want to keep a closer eye on your bread in case you need to adjust the baking time!