You’re going to love this Sour Cream Banana Bread! It’s moist, tender, and packed with banana flavor, thanks to the secret ingredient—sour cream, which keeps it perfectly creamy and soft. Whether it’s breakfast, a snack, or dessert, this banana bread is sure to become a family favorite. Make a loaf today, and it’ll be gone in no time!
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Below you will find tips, tricks and helpful hints for making this recipe including step by step instructions with pictures. If you would like to go directly to the recipe, scroll down to the recipe card or tap “Jump to Recipe” at the top of the page.
Why You’ll Love This Sour Cream Banana Bread
Picture a banana bread so moist it practically melts in your mouth, with a hint of sour cream that takes the flavor to the next level. This isn’t just any banana bread—it’s a slice of heaven.
The sour cream adds the perfect creaminess, making each bite extra tender, while the cinnamon sugar coating on the pan gives the outside a nice crunch and makes it super easy to remove. This recipe is simple, foolproof, and sure to become your new go-to banana bread!
Moist Banana Bread Ingredients
*Ingredient amounts are located in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the banana bread.
- Sugar: Sweetens the bread and contributes to its texture by providing moisture and tenderness. Substitute some or all of the granulated white sugar with brown sugar for a deeper flavor.
- Eggs: Act as a binding agent, helping to hold the ingredients together and providing structure to the bread.
- Ripe Bananas: Provide natural sweetness, moisture, and flavor to the bread. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the bread will be.
- Sour Cream: Enhances the moistness and tenderness of the bread while adding a subtle tangy flavor. It also helps to keep the bread moist even after baking. If you don’t have sour cream, you can use an equal amount of plain Greek yogurt as a substitute.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds depth of flavor and enhances the overall taste of the bread.
- All-Purpose Flour: Serves as the base ingredient, providing structure to the bread. Replace part or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor and added nutrition.
- Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to complement the sweetness of the bananas. Experiment with other spices such as nutmeg or ginger for additional flavor variations.
- Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness.
- Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the bread to rise and become fluffy.
- Nuts or Chocolate Chips (Optional): Fold in chopped nuts (such as walnuts or pecans) or chocolate chips for added texture and flavor.
How to Make Sour Cream Banana Bread
[Step 1] Cream together the softened butter and sugar with a hand mixer, just like you would when making cookie dough. Add in the eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
[Step 2] In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
[Step 3] Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not over mix.
[Step 4] Prepare two 9×5 loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray. Mix together 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sprinkle over the cooking spray in each loaf pan. Divide the batter between the pans.
[Step 5] Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the banana bread loaves to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Helpful Kitchen Tools
- 2 (9×5) Loaf Pans
- Non-stick Cooking Spray
- Cooling Rack
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Silicone Spatula
- Electric Mixer
How to Store Banana Bread
- Use an airtight container or a freezer bag: This is essential to prevent air from drying out your moist banana bread. If you’ve added chocolate chips, this step also helps retain their texture.
- To freeze: Wrap your loaf or individual slices in layers of plastic wrap then place them in a freezer bag or wrap tightly with aluminum foil. The addition of sour cream in the recipe ensures the bread remains moist, even after freezing.
- To thaw: Just leave your banana bread at room temperature for a few hours, still wrapped. This method ensures it retains its original moistness and flavor.
Baking Tips & Tricks
- First off, not overmixing the batter is the secret behind preserving the tender crumb everyone adores in a classic banana bread recipe.
- Secondly, don’t forget to check for doneness with a toothpick, which should come out clean, ensuring your loaf is just right.
- Using ripe or overripe bananas not only intensifies the banana nut bread’s delightful aroma but also contributes to the super moist banana bread texture we all crave.
- Also critical to the success of this great recipe is maintaining accurate oven temperature and preparing your ingredients ahead of time. Following these simple steps will definitely result in a loaf of banana bread that’s not just easy to make but utterly divine.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I swap sour cream for plain greek yogurt or plain yogurt? Absolutely! Both plain greek yogurt and plain yogurt are fabulous substitutes that keep your banana bread delightfully moist and tender.
- What if my bananas aren’t ripe enough? No problem at all! You can ripen bananas quickly by baking them in their skins at 300°F for about 15-20 minutes, or until they’re blackened and soft to the touch.
- Can I add nuts to this banana bread recipe? Of course! Stirring in a cup of your favorite chopped nuts will transform this into a scrumptious banana nut bread. It’s a simple modification for an extra crunch.
More Banana Recipes
- Peanut butter Banana Muffins
- Cake Mix Banana Bread
- Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread Muffins
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana French Toast Bake
- Banana Cream Muffins
- Bisquick Banana Pancakes
- Banana Bread Pudding
Watch the video here:
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Sour Cream Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 6 Tablespoons Butter softened
- 2 Cups Sugar divided
- 2 Eggs
- 3 Ripe Bananas mashed
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3 Teaspoons Cinnamon divided
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
Instructions
- Cream together the softened butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar, just like you would when making cookie dough. Add in the eggs, mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, salt, and baking soda.
- Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Do not over mix.
- Prepare two 9×5 loaf pans by spraying them with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix together 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sprinkle over the cooking spray in each loaf pan.
- Divide the batter between the pans.
- Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow the banana bread loaves to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
