My favorite banana bread recipe is the best I’ve ever tasted! I’ll show you how to make an irresistible homemade banana bread loaf that’s ultra-moist and packed with rich, buttery banana flavor. Mix up the batter in minutes. Feel free to add in nuts or chocolate chips!
Who doesn’t love a soft, buttery slice of banana bread? It’s truly the ultimate comfort. Whenever I have ripe bananas that are looking past their prime, banana bread or chewy banana oatmeal cookies are pretty much a given. A slice of homemade banana bread is the perfect snack, great with coffee for breakfast, and you can even call it dessert if you add a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream! This banana bread is so quick and easy to make, and it’s a recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Why You’ll Never Need Another Banana Bread Recipe
- Beginner-friendly baking. Banana bread is one of those classic, simple recipes that everyone needs to have in their recipe box. No yeast or fancy tools needed.
- It’s moist. There’s nothing like a warm slice of moist banana bread to make you feel all cozy. This loaf will hit all those notes and more.
- Tons of banana flavor. I love how this bread makes the flavor of ripe bananas shine! If you’re a banana lover, then you’re going to love this recipe.
Gather These Ingredients
Every household has its own unique banana bread recipe, and most come down to a simple combination of pantry ingredients. Here’s a quick overview with my notes (scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts).
- Bananas – Naturally, the star ingredient is bananas. I wanted my bread to have plenty of banana flavor, so this recipe uses a full 2 cups of mashed bananas, about 4 large bananas. I like to mash them up with a muddler or potato masher, but you can also use a fork.
- Dry ingredients – Next up are the dry ingredients. These include all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. I like to use both baking powder and soda for a nice, soft bread that holds moisture well. Make sure to measure the flour correctly so your bread doesn’t turn out dry.
- Wet ingredients – Sour cream, eggs, and butter. Sour cream makes baked goods so moist and tender! If you don’t have sour cream, Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
- Brown sugar – I like how brown sugar adds a touch of caramelized flavor and extra moisture to the loaf. White granulated sugar will also work, though.
- Cinnamon and vanilla – That little hint of cinnamon is just enough to complement the banana flavor without being overpowering. Vanilla extract can be substituted with vanilla paste if needed.
Optional Mix-Ins
This homemade banana bread is delicious as-is, or you can add easy mix-ins.
- Nuts. To make banana nut bread, add up to ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Chocolate chips. If you’d like to add chocolate, I have a wonderful chocolate chip banana bread recipe for you.
- Blueberries. Add in a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries to make blueberry banana bread.
- Pineapple. Try my hummingbird bread for a version loaded with pineapple chunks, pecans, and spices.
How to Make the Best Banana Bread
Since banana bread is a type of quick bread, there is no yeast or rising time. Just one bowl and a few short steps.
- Cream together the wet ingredients. Cream the butter and brown sugar. Next, mix in the eggs, then the sour cream. Fold in the mashed bananas and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients. Now, gently stir in the dry ingredients. Mix the batter just until combined, taking care not to overmix, or you’ll end up with a tough, dense banana bread loaf.
- Bake and cool. Pour the batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350ºF for 60-65 minutes. Afterward, let the bread cool in the pan. You can eat banana bread warm or at room temperature. My husband loves warming it up and adding a little butter. I like topping my slices with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
I bake this banana bread in a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Baking in a smaller, 8×4-inch pan will produce a taller, denser loaf. A smaller pan also calls for an increase in the baking time.
In addition to the mix-ins mentioned above, you can add a drizzle of maple syrup on top of the freshly baked banana bread, or try adding a streusel before baking (borrow the streusel topping from my banana muffins recipe).
To ripen bananas quickly, place your bananas into a paper bag with an apple. Lightly fold the bag closed and leave it on the counter for a day or two. Apples release gases that help speed up the fruit’s ripening process.
How to Store
- On the counter. If you’re a true banana bread connoisseur, you know it won’t last long. My family usually devours this bread in a day! In case yours lasts longer, store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate. You can also store banana bread in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
- Freeze. If you’d like to freeze your bread, you can freeze it either in loaf form or in slices. Slices are nice because you can pull them out to thaw on the go! Wrap the bread or slices in plastic wrap, then a layer of foil. Place the bread in an airtight, freezer-safe container. The bread will keep for up to 4 months. When you’re ready to use it, thaw it in the fridge overnight or on the counter for a few hours.
More Quick Bread Recipes
Homemade Banana Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (112g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (168g) light brown sugar (packed)
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup (77g) sour cream
- 2 cups (450g) mashed bananas (about 4 large ripe bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, add the butter and brown sugar and beat together until light in color and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined before adding the next.
- Add the sour cream, mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix util combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not over mix or you’ll end up with tough banana bread.
- Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 60-65 minutes. To test for doneness, a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf should come out clean.
- Remove loaf from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan. Slice and serve when ready.
- Store the bread in an air tight container at room temperature for 3-5 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Breakfast, Christmas, Easter, Holidays, Other Sweets, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats, Thanksgiving,
Hi – This sounds amazing! Love your recipes for the accurate grams. Thank you
The recipe is amazing. I would def use it again.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This recipe shows on yummly.com as Moist Banana Bread with instant pudding in the mix but when I click on the link to read directions, I get this recipe with sour cream in it. Please clarify. Thank you.
That was old recipe and this is the new one. Yummly must not update itself.
I made this recipe a lot of times but I have a question, can I substitute butter with margarine or what I can do to substitute cause unsalted butter it’s difficult to find in my city
I’ll Walt for your answer, greetings!
I have never tried margarine, so I’m not sure. I’m not sure of a substitute.
I made this in four mini loaves (I’ve been making sweet breads in mini loaves because I find there’s a better even cook-through for me.) the other day and plan to make them again tonight. Best banana bread ever is not an overstatement. Even hubby after taking a couple bites, said “This is the best banana bread you’ve ever made.”
I didn’t have sour cream, so I used mayonnaise, and it worked out beautifully. I think the brown sugar instead of white sugar, which is usually called for, is a key ingredient for added flavor. They were firm, but not too dense, and moist. Very much a win.
So glad it was a hit!
Made following the directions (substituted milk for the Sour Cream). Hoping it turns out deliciously moist!!!
Only thing I found that did not work for me, was using the whisk attachment on my mixer. It does not blend well at all. I mostly use that attachment for whipping cream.
I do not have sour cream, what can I substitute? Also, Can I add sliced strawberries?
Sour cream is going to give you the best results, but you could try using plain yogurt. And I would assume adding sliced strawberries would be fine.
I can’t get sour cream where I live is it ok to just leave it out? Also, are there any adjustments if I add nuts?
No, I’d try using yogurt or whole milk. The nuts should be fine.
I loved it! I tried this recipe for my first attempt ever and I gotta say it was perfect. I made a small loaf and 6 cups with one batch.
Thank you for sharing this one 😊
So glad you enjoyed it!
Simple to make really nice thank you
Delicious! We loved this banana bread recipe. Very easy.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Are any adjustments needed if you threw in some mini chocolate chips ?
Nope, it should be fine as is.
I have both fresh ripe bananas and frozen bananas can I use both types in the recipe at the same to make a double batch, and would I need to change anything ? Tyvm love your recipes.
JenniferN
Yes that’ll work great.
Do you think it would be okay to substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream?
Sounds wonderful. if I would like to bake this recipe for muffins tonight, how long in the oven and how many would it make?
I haven’t tried it as muffins, so I’m not sure. Sorry!
It should take less time since they are in smaller sizes.