Description
This recipe transforms overripe bananas into an incredibly soft and moist banana bread, using sour cream as a secret ingredient for a tender crumb. It’s a simple, family-friendly delight perfect for any time of day.
Ingredients
- 3–4 large very ripe bananas (1.5 cups mashed)
- 0.5 cup full-fat sour cream
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.25 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cardamom (optional)
Instructions
- Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper for easy removal.
- Mash Bananas with Sour Cream: In a large bowl, mash the very ripe bananas until mostly smooth. Stir in the sour cream until just combined.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a separate large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Beat Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet Mixtures: Add the mashed banana and sour cream mixture to the butter-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until just combined; do not overmix.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and ground cardamom until evenly distributed.
- Combine Batter and Bake: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing on low speed until just combined (a few streaks of flour are acceptable). Pour into your prepared loaf pan.
- Bake and Cool Loaf: Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
For substitutions, plain Greek yogurt can replace sour cream, neutral oil can replace butter, and whole wheat flour can be swapped for up to half of the all-purpose flour. Ground cinnamon is a good alternative to cardamom. If the batter is too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or buttermilk. Avoid overmixing the batter for a tender crumb, and always cool the loaf completely before slicing to prevent crumbling.
- Prep Time: 18 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Baked Goods
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 310 calories
- Sugar: 26 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
Keywords: moist banana bread, sour cream, easy recipe, comfort food, family-friendly, baked goods, banana, quick bread, cardamom