Description

This moist classic banana bread with sour cream is the recipe you’ll keep coming back to. The sour cream creates an incredibly tender crumb and perfectly balanced flavor, making this the only banana bread recipe you’ll ever need.

Ingredients

Scale

3 large or 4 medium ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup full-fat sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray, then line it with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
In a medium bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. A few small lumps are fine. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated. Then mix in the vanilla extract.
Add the sour cream and mashed bananas to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed just until combined.
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently with a rubber spatula. Stir just until no streaks of flour remain. If adding nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread it into an even layer. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.
Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly after 40 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing, at least 1 hour.

Notes

For best results, use very ripe bananas with dark spots. Room temperature ingredients are important for a smooth batter. Don’t overmix once flour is added to avoid a tough bread. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling. Day-old bread is even better when lightly toasted.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 60 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 285
Sugar: 22
Sodium: 220
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 41
Fiber: 1.5
Protein: 4.5

Keywords: banana bread, sour cream banana bread, moist banana bread, classic banana bread, easy banana bread, homemade banana bread