1 Cup Mashed Bananas in Grams

1 cup of mashed bananas weighs 227 g (spooned and levelled, King Arthur Baking). Very ripe bananas mashed to a pulp. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the King Arthur Baking value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.

Why weighing mashed bananas beats measuring it in cups

Mashed bananas are one of the heaviest cup measures in baking at 227 g, because a mashed banana is essentially a dense fruit puree with almost no air in it. A cup of mashed banana weighs nearly twice as much as a cup of flour, and that density is why banana bread is so moist and heavy: the bananas contribute water, sugar and bulk all at once. A recipe that calls for a cup of mashed bananas and gets a cup of sliced bananas instead will be short on both moisture and sweetness, because sliced bananas leave air gaps and weigh far less per cup.

Ripeness is the second factor that changes the number. A very ripe banana with black spots is softer, sweeter and heavier per cup than a just-ripe yellow banana, because the starches have converted to sugars and the flesh has softened and compacted. The 227 g figure is for very ripe bananas mashed to a pulp, which is what banana bread recipes mean. If your bananas are only just ripe, the same cup will weigh a little less and taste less sweet, so the bread may need a touch more sugar. Weighing the mash, rather than counting bananas, is what makes the recipe repeatable: one large banana is about 120 g peeled, but bananas vary in size, and two medium bananas are not the same as one large one.

Mashed Bananas cups to grams conversion table

Cups Grams Tablespoons
1/4 cup 56.8 g 4
1/3 cup 75.7 g 5.3
1/2 cup 113.5 g 8
2/3 cup 151.3 g 10.7
3/4 cup 170.2 g 12
1 cup 227 g 16
1 1/2 cups 340.5 g 24
2 cups 454 g 32
3 cups 681 g 48
4 cups 908 g 64

One tablespoon of mashed bananas weighs about 14.2 g, since a cup is 16 tablespoons. That is useful when a recipe calls for a spoonful or two rather than a whole cup, though for small amounts a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one.

Worked examples

Banana bread, one standard loaf

A standard banana bread loaf uses about 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas, which is 341 g, mixed with 200 g of flour, 150 g of sugar, 2 eggs and 80 g of butter. Mash the bananas with a fork until they are a thick pulp with a few small lumps, then weigh 341 g before adding them to the batter. Weighing matters because bananas vary in size: three small bananas and two large ones can both be called three bananas, but they weigh very differently.

Banana pancakes for a weekend breakfast

Pancakes for four people use about 1 cup of mashed bananas, which is 227 g, stirred into the batter with flour, milk, eggs and baking powder. The bananas replace some of the sugar and add moisture, so the pancakes come out soft and golden. Mash the bananas well so there are no large chunks, which cook unevenly and leave wet pockets in the pancake.

Banana smoothie for two

A smoothie for two people uses about 1/2 cup of mashed banana, which is 114 g, blended with milk, yogurt and a spoonful of peanut butter. Use very ripe bananas for the best flavour, and freeze overripe bananas in advance so the smoothie comes out thick and cold without ice. Weighing 114 g keeps the smoothie balanced: too much banana and it turns into a thick puree, too little and the peanut butter dominates.

How the weight was measured

How you fill the cup decides what the cup weighs. The method used here is spooned and levelled: the ingredient is spooned into the cup and levelled with a straight edge, never scooped and never tapped down. If you scoop, you compress the ingredient and the same cup can weigh noticeably more, which is the single most common reason a recipe that worked for its author fails in another kitchen.

The value is taken from King Arthur Baking with high confidence. King Arthur Baking is the reference used across this site because its chart is consistent and widely used by recipe developers. No other source was mixed in, and nothing on this page was estimated from a different ingredient. Remember that every conversion on this page is approximate: check the weight on a kitchen scale whenever accuracy matters, and use the table as a guide rather than a guarantee.

Practical guidance

Use mashed bananas fresh, or freeze overripe bananas whole in their skins for baking later: they thaw into a soft pulp that is perfect for bread and muffins. Peel the bananas before mashing, and mash with a fork rather than a blender, because a blender turns them into a liquid that makes the batter too wet. If a recipe calls for a number of bananas rather than a weight, weigh the mash anyway: one medium banana is about 120 g peeled, but sizes vary, and the weight is what the recipe actually needs. Very ripe bananas with black spots are best for baking, because they are sweeter and softer. If you do not have a scale, spoon the mash into the cup and level it, remembering that the 227 g figure is approximate and that ripeness changes the weight a little.

Common mistakes with fresh fruit

The most common mistake is measuring fruit by the cup before preparing it. A cup of whole strawberries and a cup of sliced strawberries are different weights, because slicing removes air gaps, so always prepare the fruit first, then measure, and weigh whenever the recipe is precise. The second mistake is using under-ripe or over-ripe fruit without adjusting: unripe fruit is lighter, firmer and less sweet, while very ripe fruit is heavier and wetter, and both change the batter. The third is washing berries and measuring them while they are still wet, which adds water weight and throws off the balance. Dry them gently before measuring. Finally, do not fold delicate berries into a thick batter with a heavy hand: they burst, bleed colour through the crumb, and sink. Fold once or twice, gently, and dust them with a spoonful of flour first so they stay suspended.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams is 1 cup of mashed bananas?

1 cup of mashed bananas weighs 227 g when spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. The figure is for very ripe bananas mashed to a pulp, and it is approximate, because ripeness and how thoroughly the bananas are mashed both change the weight.

How many bananas make 1 cup mashed?

About two medium bananas make 1 cup of mashed banana, or 227 g. A medium banana is about 120 g peeled, but bananas vary in size, so weigh the mash rather than counting bananas for the most accurate result.

Can I use unripe bananas for banana bread?

You can, but the bread will be less sweet and less moist, because unripe bananas are firmer, starchier and lighter per cup. Very ripe bananas with black spots are best for baking. If you only have yellow bananas, add a little extra sugar and a splash of milk.

Can mashed banana replace eggs in baking?

Yes, about 1/4 cup of mashed banana, 57 g, replaces one egg in muffins, pancakes and quick breads. The banana adds moisture and sweetness, so it works best in recipes where those qualities suit the result, and it does not work in recipes where egg provides the main structure.

How do I freeze bananas for baking?

Freeze overripe bananas whole in their skins, or peeled in a freezer bag. Thaw them at room temperature or in the microwave, and they will be soft and easy to mash. Frozen bananas are perfect for banana bread, and freezing stops them going to waste.

Related conversions

If you need a different amount, the table above scales in both directions, and the converter tool will do the maths for any quantity. When a recipe really matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale rather than trusting the cup alone, because the figures on this page are approximate and natural ingredients vary by brand, variety and moisture.