Description
Crafting this rich banana bread recipe unlocks a nostalgic journey through homemade comfort. Moist crumb and warm spices create a delightful experience you’ll savor with each delectable slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ½ cups or 360 g)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups (250 g / 8.8 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g / 7 oz) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115 g / 4 oz) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fl oz) sour cream or plain yogurt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup (80 g / 2.8 oz) chopped nuts or chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by greasing, flouring, or lining with parchment paper.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a mixing bowl until perfectly blended.
- Butter-Sugar Transformation: Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light, fluffy, and pale, creating a smooth foundation for the bread.
- Moisture Integration: Blend eggs one at a time, then incorporate mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and sour cream or yogurt, mixing until a uniform, silky batter forms.
- Batter Completion: Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture with minimal stirring, gently introducing nuts or chocolate chips for extra texture and flavor.
- Baking Process: Pour batter into prepared pan, leveling the surface. Bake for 55-65 minutes, checking doneness with a toothpick that comes out clean and dry.
- Cooling and Serving: Rest bread in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Allow complete cooling before slicing to ensure optimal texture and rich banana flavor.
Notes
- Ripe Banana Selection: Choose overripe bananas with dark brown or black spots for maximum sweetness and deeper flavor, which enhance the bread’s moisture and natural sugars.
- Avoid Overmixing Batter: Stir dry and wet ingredients just until combined to prevent developing tough gluten, keeping the banana bread tender and soft.
- Moisture Control Technique: Add sour cream or yogurt to maintain a rich, moist texture and prevent the bread from becoming dry or crumbly during baking.
- Temperature and Timing Precision: Check doneness with a toothpick test around 55 minutes to prevent overbaking, which can result in a dense or dry final product.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 11
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg