Old Fashioned Banana Bread is made with 4 ripe bananas, sour cream, brown sugar, and pantry ingredients. It’s easy to make in one bowl, full of banana flavor, makes 3 (9×5-inch) loaves and freezer friendly.
The perfect recipe for ripe bananas! We love baking homemade banana bread in cast iron loaf pans, but you can also use traditional metal 9×5-inch loaf pans.
Fold in pecans or walnuts into the batter or leave them out if you prefer.
It’s the type of quick bread that is even more moist the second day. Sour cream helps keep it super moist. This recipe makes three loaves of banana bread. Don’t worry- it won’t last long! And even if you have extra, it freezes well.
Why this recipe works
- Use up ripe bananas – It’s a great quick bread recipe for ripe bananas you may have!
- Freezer friendly – This recipe makes three loaves. Place the cooled loaves into bread bags with twist ties and freeze for later. They will last for several months in the freezer.
- Ease – Can be made in a bowl of a stand mixer, electric hand mixer or mixed by hand.
- Uses simple ingredients – Readily available in your local grocery store.
- Prep ahead of time – It’s the type of quick bread that becomes even more moist the second day.
What you’ll need
- Ripe bananas – Use either fresh or frozen bananas. If using frozen bananas, let them thaw partially on the kitchen counter and discard the extra liquid before adding to the batter.
- Flour – Use your favorite brand all-purpose flour.
- Sugar and brown sugar – I love the combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar in this banana bread recipe. Brown sugar helps create a super moist banana bread!
- Sour cream – Also adds moisture and a tangy flavor to this quick bread recipe. Substitute buttermilk if needed.
- Eggs – Helps this quick bread rise nicely. I always use large eggs in my baking recipes. (Be sure to always crack eggs into a glass measuring cup or small bowl, then add to your batter!)
- Baking soda & powder – Leavening agents that help it rise perfectly.
How to make Old Fashioned Banana Bread
- Use ripe bananas – Either previously frozen or ripe, room temperature will work.
- Preheat oven – Preheat the oven to ensure loaves rise properly.
- Prepare loaf pans – Spray three 9 x 5- inch loaf pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners. (This makes cleanup very easy)
- Cream butter and sugar – In a large mixing bowl, using either a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar and sugar.
- Incorporate eggs – Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula occasionally.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Add the bananas, vanilla extract and sour cream to the mixture and combine. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring to combine.
- Fold in the nuts. Once mixed thoroughly, fold in the pecans or walnuts, if desired.
Divide the batter evenly into prepared baking pans. Place the baking pans on a half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. (This helps make it easy to turn the loaves and keep any possible spills contained.) Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out clean.
Rotate your breads once through the baking process, so they bake evenly. Turn the loaf pans about half way through baking. Be VERY careful not to bang the pans around or the loaves will fall. Wait about 10 minutes before removing from loaf pans, let cool on baking racks.
These paper loaf liners are a time saver! They’re great with cast iron loaf pans.
Additions
- Pecans or Walnuts – keep nuts in your freezer in an airtight container or freezer zip-style bag so they stay fresh!
- Chocolate chips – we love semisweet chocolate chips in this banana bread recipe.
- Health bar pieces (toffee pieces) – easily locate these in the baking aisle of most grocery stores!
- Hazelnut spread – swirl a spoonful into the batter with a butter knife before baking
- Sliced banana – slice a banana, length wise and place it in the top of the banana bread batter
How to store so it stays fresh
To keep moist, store the loaves in an airtight container or plastic bread bags with twist ties.
How to freeze banana bread
You can freeze whole loaves, partial loaves or individual slices. Wrap loaves tightly in plastic bread bags or freezer zip-style bags, press most of the air out and seal well. Banana bread will last in the freezer for about 2-3 months.
Freezing slices makes it easy to snack on. It will thaw nicely on the kitchen counter naturally. Place the plastic bag on a clean, dry paper towel to collect any condensation from the freezer.
For some more great breakfast recipe ideas, be sure and try some of my easy jam recipes including Raspberry Rhubarb Jam and Mixed Berry Jam.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, it makes them mash easier, incorporate into the batter better, and they are sweeter. You can place bananas in a brown paper bag overnight to ripen quicker.
More great bread recipes
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Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened) OR vegetable shortening
- 2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3-4 ripe bananas mashed
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups full-fat sour cream or full-fat buttermilk
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½-3/4 cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 9 x 5-inch bread loaf pans with cooking spray or line with paper liners. (This makes cleanup very easy)
- In a large mixing bowl, using either a stand mixer or an electric hand mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar and sugar. Add the bananas and incorporate.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating well. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula occasionally.
- Add vanilla extract and sour cream to the mixture and combine. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring to combine. Once mixed thoroughly, fold in the pecans.
- Divide the batter evenly into the prepared baking pans. Place the baking pans on a half sheet pan, lined with parchment paper. (This helps catch any dropped batter and helps easily rotate pans.)
- Rotate your breads once through the baking process, so they bake evenly. Carefully rotate the entire half sheet pan 190 degrees about three quarters through the baking process. (Be very careful not to bump the pans or your bread will fall!!)
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Remove banana from the oven. Let cool in the baking pans for 10-15 minutes. Turn out of baking pans, place banana breads on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once cooled, package into plastic bread bags with a twist tie.
- Banana bread can be stored on the kitchen counter for several days. Refrigerate if super warm in the house. It can be frozen for 1-2 months.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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Linda Weimer says
Very good! So moist tender and great with a cup of coffee!
Jessica Robinson says
Thrilled to hear that!! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe.
Yvonne Körner says
Could you please give the measuring in GRAMS? In Europe we don’t use cups!
Thank you❤️
Jessica Robinson says
Hey!! We generally only use Grams for sourdough. You should be able to easily convert cups into grams in Google.
The majority of our readers are in the USA and most measure in cups, etc. for baking here.
Nonnie B says
I always have a problem determining the amount of bananas when recipe says 3 or 4. Is there a way to determine the CUP (S) of bananas , , , , as bananas come in all sizes
Jessica Robinson says
Nonnie,
Honestly, whether you put 3 or 4 bananas in the recipe, it will still work. If your bananas are a little on the small side, you can do 4. If they are really large do 3. I’ve never measured the bananas in cups.
Let me know if you have any more baking questions!
suzanne coyner says
Always a hit with family and friends!
Jessica Robinson says
So happy to hear you enjoy this one!
Clay says
I’ve been baking banana bread for years and have ditched all other recipes for this one! The loaves come out of my Lodge loaf pans perfect every time. I do add a teaspoon of cinnamon and a 1/2 teaspoon of clove to the batter while mixing. And any juice from frozen bananas gets cooked down and added back into the batter as well.
Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!
Mona says
could you also write the recipe in grams for us UK people!
I made this and it was very good but my loafs didn’t look very big like yours…. I used the right pans but I was converting the cups into grams and not sure if I did it right.
I also added cinnamon and nutmeg to it , the whole house was smelling of amazing banana bread.
I also want to know how much batter you make for 6 loafs? if I x 2 your recipe would it work? or would I have to adjust some of the ingredients?
thanks
Jessica Robinson says
Hey Mona,
First, thank you for following from the UK.
Our primary audience is from the USA so we have most baking recipes with cups, teaspoons, etc. I’d have to try and convert the recipe for you. And it really depends on what type of flour you use, things like sour cream or buttermilk will have different weight, even by the brand. My loaf pans are 9×5-inches. The cast iron ones are just a hair smaller than that.
For 6 loaves, I just double the recipe and divide the batter evenly.
Kathie A says
Sept 1, 2024
Made this recipe and LOVED IT. It’s a keeper!
I used Walnuts, because that’s what I had on hand
and it was perfect. Moist and yummy. Thanks for sharing.
Jessica Robinson says
One of our absolute favorites too! I make it every few weeks. So happy to hear you enjoyed it as well.
Michele says
Best recipe, we loved the bread and very moist.
Jessica Robinson says
So happy to hear that Michele!!!
Amanda says
Absolutely the best banana bread recipe. I have made it at least 4x and it never last more then 2 or 3 days and it’s gone, lol. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Jessica Robinson says
Amanda,
Thank you so very much!!
Cassandra says
Delicious!
Sandy says
Hi,
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but am wondering if I can make it in a bundt pan and a bread loaf pan? I only have 2 bread loaf pans.
Jessica Robinson says
If I can calculate the recipe correctly, the full batter would probably fit all into a Bundt or fluted cake pan. However, you could also use a 9×13-inch cake pan. Either way, you’ll need to monitor the baking time, as we’ve never baked it this way.