Best Banana Bread Recipe

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This is the moistest banana nut bread you'll ever make — a rich, tender loaf made with ripe bananas, sour cream, and your choice of nuts.

Prep Time15

Cook Time55

Course: Breakfast Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana nut bread, banana walnut bread

Servings:

Author: Modern Honey® - www.modernhoney.com

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease or line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Mash the bananas. In a bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth.
Cream the butter, oil, and sugars. In a mixing bowl, cream the softened butter, oil, brown sugar, and sugar together for 3–4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl halfway through for even mixing.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Be careful not to overmix — a few small streaks of flour disappearing is exactly what you want. For extra warmth, you can stir in 1 teaspoon of cinnamon at this point.
Gently fold in the walnuts, pecans, or macadamia nuts.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Optional: sprinkle the top with 3 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not raw batter. Tent a piece of foil loosely over the pan about halfway through baking to prevent the top from over-browning before the center is fully baked.
Let the bread cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Run a knife along the sides of the pan to help loosen the loaf before removing it. Serve slices with butter.

Baking Tips:

Use very ripe bananas. The more brown spots (or even fully brown peels), the better — this is the single biggest factor in flavor and moisture.
Tent with foil to prevent over-browning. Since this loaf bakes for close to an hour, the top can brown too much before the center finishes cooking. A loose piece of foil, added halfway through, solves this.
Check doneness with a toothpick, not just time. Ovens vary, so start checking a few minutes before the recipe's minimum bake time. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, never wet batter.
Let it cool before slicing. Cutting into the loaf too soon can cause it to crumble, since it's still setting as it cools.