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Say hello to my new favorite quick bread in the whole wide world.
Okay, I know that a lot of people say that about a lot of quick bread recipes, but you have to understand my love for banana bread.
When I was in high school, I started going to Starbucks. At said coffee shop, I would order two things religiously – a frappuccino, and a warmed up slice of their banana bread.
It was the highlight of my day on the way home from school, and I can’t believe I didn’t weigh more in high school as a result.
Don’t you wish you could hang onto that young metabolism for the rest of your life?
Anyway, that’s when I first truly fell in love with the delectable baked good that is banana bread.
It wasn’t a recipe handed down from my grandmother. I don’t have fond memories of drinking a glass of milk with a warm slice at the breakfast table with my mom.
Instead, it was me walking home from school with a warm slice in hand, enjoying the small break before I had to sit down to piles of homework.
Every time I bite into a slice of warm banana bread, I think of those idyllic moments that I had to myself as I walked the streets of my suburb outside Denver.
Of course, when I got more into cooking, I started baking my favorite fix right at home.
I tried what seems like hundreds of recipes and tweaks before getting it right.
Hint: this is the right recipe.
It is so moist and flavorful, you won’t believe how incredible it is when you take that first bite.
It practically melts in your mouth.
There’s a big punch of banana flavor, with a subtle hint of vanilla and an ever-so-slight tanginess from the sour cream.
The sour cream is what actually keeps this bread nice and moist. It’s my secret ingredient, and it works like a charm every single time.
You can eat this bread at room temperature, but I love to warm it up for about 5-10 seconds in the microwave. And nothing beats eating it warm, straight out of the oven.
Slather on a small pat of butter and it is pure heaven. The butter adds just the right amount of richness to make it a really decadent treat.
I like to eat it for breakfast now, but it’s a fantastic snack as well.
If you feel like sharing, know that this recipe is also the ideal pick-me-up for a friend or family member who could use a little extra love. If you are thinking of making this for someone else, consider wrapping it carefully in plastic wrap before packaging it up.
I like to use a colorful gift box for this, but you can also even buy a colorful reusable loaf pan, bake the bread in it, and then gift it all in one thoughtful package.
This one from Fiesta makes a really nice gift, and it’s available from Wayfair in a bunch of different colors.
Fiesta 46-Ounce Loaf Pan in Daffodil
Are you feeling inspired to share the baking love? Or are you feeling more inspired to hoard it all to yourself? Either will do, with this fantastic quick bread!
Super Moist and Tasty Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
Description
When it comes to the ultimate baked goody, this super moist and tasty banana bread recipe will top the list the moment you try it.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup very ripe mashed banana (about 2 large or 3 medium)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make sure all ingredients are room temperature before you begin.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, letting the paper drape over the sides to create a sling.
- In a medium-sized bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar, beating it on high speed until the mixture lightens in color and texture.
- Add the flour mixture gradually to the butter mixture in three additions, beating on low speed until just combined after each addition.
- Gradually beat in the lightly beaten eggs.
- Add mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Fold in with a spatula until just combined.
- Scrape the mixture into the pan and spread evenly.
- Bake 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan on a rack for 5-10 minutes before unmolding to cool completely on the wire rack.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Quick Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Keywords: banana bread, breakfast, brunch, banana
Cooking By the Numbers…
Step 1 – Mash Bananas, Beat Eggs, And Measure Remaining Ingredients
Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature.
Mash enough very ripe bananas to have 1 cup in total. I used 2 large bananas to get this amount.
In a small bowl, lightly beat the 2 eggs.
Measure out all of the remaining ingredients as listed.
Line a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Make sure that you let the paper drape over the sides to create a sling for easy removal. You just lift the paper, and the loaf comes right out.
Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Step 2 – Make Flour Mixture
Add the flour, salt, and baking soda to a medium bowl.
Whisk together until combined.
Step 3 – Cream Ingredients
Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of an electric stand mixer that’s been fitted with the paddle attachment.
Cream together on high speed until the mixture lightens in color and texture. This will take about 2 minutes.
Step 4 – Add Flour, Eggs, and Finish Batter
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture gradually in three separate additions. Beat the flour in on low speed until just combined after each addition.
Beat in the lightly beaten eggs on low speed.
Remove the bowl from stand mixer.
Fold in the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract with a spatula until just combined.
Step 5 – Bake
Add the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly into the corners. Smooth the top.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack for storage, or slice and serve warm.
Ripe Bananas Are Key to This Tasty Homemade Quick Bread
When it comes to making banana bread, you need to make sure the fruit is ripe. Using green bananas makes for a flavorless recipe, let’s be honest.
Not to mention, they will also be a lot easier to mash.
If you are using just-ripe bananas, you will get some of that sweet banana flavor, but not a ton (use these to serve in our banana cream pudding!). Make sure the fruit is very, very ripe before using it in this recipe.
Are you crazy about this recipe? Go bananas with our other fruit-packed baked goods, like our chocolate chip banana bread, our gluten-free version of the classic recipe, or our sourdough banana bread (which we also use for a delicious French toast).
There’s a type of banana bread for everyone!
If you would like even more bread in your life, check out the recipes below:
Will you make a loaf for a friend, or keep each delicious slice all for yourself? Tell us in the comments below, and be sure to come back to rate the recipe once you’ve tried it!
Photos by Meghan Yager, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. Product image via Fiesta. Originally published by Shanna Mallon on November 13, 2008. Last updated: April 26, 2021 at 17:41 pm.
Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.
About Meghan Yager
Meghan Yager is a food addict turned food and travel writer with a love for creating uncomplicated, gourmet recipes and devouring anything the world serves up. As the author of the food and travel blog Cake 'n Knife, Meghan focuses on unique foodie experiences from around the world to right at home in your own kitchen.
Mmm…warm banana bread. I love the crusty end pieces…
I heart me some banana bread myself, especially fresh out of the oven!
I’m with you on bananas — usually would just as soon leave them as take them. But banana bread, ahhhh, bliss! I could eat a half a loaf warm, no sweat. 🙂 I don’t want to come between you and your new love, but I will pass along my recipe, in case the first blush wears off.
So glad you’re feeling better!!
Banana bread rocks my world. I don’t make it much though because the husband isn’t a fan. Thus I eat the entire loaf (or three) in three (or one) days. Blurg.
Banana bread is such a good comfort food.
I don’t really like the consistency of bananas but I know they are good for me so I make myself eat them. When I was studying for the bar exam there was a fruit stand in front of the building where I took my review class. All the fruits looked so delish but I always bought bananas bc they are no-mess and there’s not fear of having to wash them before class. I ate SO many bananas and I barely enjoyed them! having said that, banana bread is one of my faves. Thanks for the recipe!
I add a spoonful or so of Miracle Whip (or mayo, but Miracle Whip works better) to my banana bread batter. It is incredible — it makes it so moist, with just a hint of a satisfying tang to it.
The first time I did that, my friends raved about how good it was until I told them what the secret ingredient was. 🙂 They thought that it sounded strange, but they sure were excited about gobbling it all up! Now I won’t even consider making my banana bread without a dollop of Miracle Whip. It’s worth trying!
Interesting! Do you sub it for something or just add it in as an extra?
I just add it in extra.
After eating the delicious muffins at Panera, I got to wondering what they do to make them so moist. And I remembered a commercial I had seen once for a chocolate cake made with Miracle Whip, and it sounded like a plausible solution. So I just added some in, and it’s never been the same since.
Recently, we had mayonnaise in the fridge instead of Miracle Whip. The moistness still turned out great, but I didn’t like the flavor as well.
Getting ready to try it.. I am normally a big fan of miracle whip but I decided to try it this time.
I have used this recipe many time, it is delicious! Now I am curious to see how it turns out this time. I will let You know how it turns out?
I’ll have to try that! Thanks again!
Thanks for the recipe Meghan!
Your banana bread pics looked so good I had a crack at making it over the weekend and it was a great success. I was cooking for a Coeliac guest and had to replace the all purpose flour with a gluten free blend – it worked fine which isn’t always the case when making flour substitutions.
★★★★★
I haven’t made this recipe yet (been waiting for my bananas to be ready), but I’m going to make it soon. I’m confused by one thing: Step 1 says to beat the eggs. But the photo in Step 4 shows whole unbeaten eggs added to the flour mixture. So do we prebeat the eggs or not? Or it doesn’t matter when?
Hi Natalie! Yes, do beat the eggs! The photo in step 4 is incorrect – we will make that update. Apologies for the confusion!
Can oil be substituted for the butter?
I would not recommend substituting oil for the butter since creaming together the butter and sugar is part of what makes the texture of this bread so great
Love, love this recipe. I had someone request a loaf with pineapples. Do you think that would affect the consistency of the bread if I just added in some crushed pineapple?
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed it, Christine. We haven’t tried adding pineapple, but this sounds like a delicious idea!
I bake a carrot cake at least once a year that includes some finely chopped pineapple in the batter, and I think adding crushed pineapple to banana bread would be moist and delicious as well.
Be sure to drain the pineapple thoroughly before you add it to the batter and be cautious- adding about 1/2 cup to the mixture shouldn’t affect the consistency too much, but you may need to make other adjustments if you add more. I would also recommend tossing the pineapple in flour first – lightly coating it before folding it into the batter should help to keep it from sinking to the bottom of the pan while it bakes.
Please let us know how it turns out!
Absolutely delicious! I doubled the recipe and got one regular loaf and 2 smaller ones. I also made it even more decadent with a cream cheese frosting. Oh my it’s heavenly.
★★★★★
I don’t have a standing mixer. Can I use a hand held one with the same effect?
Of course. Just be sure to use a large enough mixing bowl, and stir in the flour without turning the mixer on initially, to avoid losing any.
I have made this recipe a few times. Can’t seem to get the bottom to cook thoroughly. Can you use a convection oven instead? And what temperature?
Hi, Jessica! Sorry you’ve had some trouble – a heavy batter like banana bread can be difficult to bake evenly! Next time, we suggest rotating your pan halfway through the baking process, and even switching the pan to a different rack, to promote even baking.
You can certainly experiment using a convection oven for baking it, as well – because convection ovens distribute heat more powerfully, try baking it at 325 degrees F for 45-50 minutes, as a start.
Check back with us if you give it a try!
can I use Greek yogurt instead of the sour cream?
I have seen different recipes that you can sub one
for the other but most of them have been cakes’
You can, just substitute equal amounts. These have a similar consistency and water content, so the substitution should work well.
HOLY COW! This is the best, most moist recipe I’ve ever seen and followed. I made a couple large loaves for my unit and they were gone before noon. Only about 15 people ate it. I also topped the loaves off with this caramelized, crushed pecan sauce I made and it just added to the flavor. The bread came out PERFECT! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. Seriously, the VERY BEST banana nut bread recipe I have ever tried, and I have tried MANY.
★★★★★
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Andrea. Thanks for the feedback!
I have made this recipe at least a dozen times since stumbling across it. I buy bananas just to make banana bread. All my friends devour it.
I do had cinnamon/sugar to middle and top. SO GOOD.
★★★★★