Sour Cream Banana Bread is a tender, moist loaf made with ripe bananas, creamy sour cream, and warm vanilla flavor. The sour cream adds richness and moisture while helping create a soft crumb that stays pleasantly tender without becoming heavy.
This easy quick bread comes together without a mixer and is especially useful when you have very ripe bananas on hand. Bake it in a standard loaf pan until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Additional Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf
- Servings: 10 slices
- Difficulty: Easy
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Sour cream adds moisture for a soft, tender crumb without needing a lot of fat.
- Very ripe bananas provide natural sweetness and concentrated banana flavor.
- Melted butter simplifies the method, eliminating the need to cream butter and sugar.
- Gentle mixing protects the crumb, preventing a dense, chewy loaf.
- A moderate oven temperature encourages even baking and a golden crust.
What You Need Before You Start
- 9-by-5-inch loaf pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Fork or potato masher
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients and Helpful Swaps
- ■ 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas — about 345 g, from approximately 3 medium bananas
- ■ 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled — 113 g
- ■ 3/4 cup granulated sugar — 150 g
- ■ 2 large eggs — about 100 g without shells, room temperature if possible
- ■ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — 5 mL
- ■ 1/2 cup sour cream — 120 g
- ■ 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour — 210 g
- ■ 1 teaspoon baking soda — 5 g
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon fine salt — 3 g
- ■ 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon — 1.5 g
How to Make Sour Cream Banana Bread
- Prepare the pan and oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- Mash the bananas. Place the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small pieces are fine, but avoid leaving large chunks.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the melted, slightly cooled butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Make the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula just until no obvious dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
- Fill the loaf pan. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Smooth the top with the spatula.
- Bake. Bake for 50–60 minutes, rotating the pan once if your oven browns unevenly. The top should be deep golden brown and the center should feel set.
- Cool before slicing. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer it to a wire rack. Cool for at least 15 more minutes before slicing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Store the cooled banana bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- For longer storage, refrigerate it for up to 5 days, although refrigeration can make the crumb slightly firmer.
- To freeze, wrap individual slices or the whole cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes. Use plain full-fat Greek yogurt in the same amount.
Why did my banana bread turn out dense?
The most common causes are too much flour, overmixing the batter, or baking soda that has lost its effectiveness. Mix only until the flour disappears and measure the flour carefully.
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes. Thaw them completely and drain off excess liquid before measuring.
How do I know when sour cream banana bread is done?
The center should look set rather than wet or jiggly, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Can I add nuts or chocolate chips?
Yes. Fold-ins can be added to the batter, but keep the total amount moderate so they do not weigh down the loaf.
Sour Cream Banana Bread
Ingredients
Method
Method
- Prepare the pan and oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
- Mash the bananas: Place the peeled bananas in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small pieces are fine, but avoid leaving large chunks.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Add the melted, slightly cooled butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Make the batter: Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula just until no obvious dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
- Fill the loaf pan: Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and spread it evenly. Smooth the top with the spatula.
- Bake: Bake for 50–60 minutes, rotating the pan once if your oven browns unevenly. The top should be deep golden brown and the center should feel set.
- Cool before slicing: Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and transfer it to a wire rack. Cool for at least 15 more minutes before slicing.
