The Best Classic Banana Bread
The Best Classic Banana Bread boasts just the right amount of sweetness and natural banana flavor without being overly saturated with sugar or oil.
Servings slices (1 Loaf)
Equipment
- 1 Loaf Pan 8.5 x 4/5 inch
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe banana about 3-4 ripe bananas
- ⅓ cup sour cream or plain yogurt see note
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Cut a piece of parchment paper so it fits like a sling into your loaf pan and overhangs over the longer sides of your pan. Spray your loaf pan with cooking spray and then place the parchment paper in so it sticks and then spray the top of the paper as well. (If you're not sure what this step should look like, see photos in blog post for reference.) If you don't have parchment you can simply spray your loaf pan, or butter and flour it. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Set aside.
- Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.
- Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Notes
- This recipe calls for plain yogurt or sour cream. Full fat sour cream is my go-to because it's what I always have in my fridge, but we have used SO many things in its place. You can use full fat or low fat yogurt, plain or vanilla (we've even used fruit flavored yogurts in a pinch). I've also used apple sauce. For the photos in this post I was actually out of all of those things so I used ricotta cheese mixed with a couple tablespoons of milk so it was the texture of full fat sour cream and I think I liked it even better than the original! So it's flexible. If you're out of sour cream or plain yogurt, you can be creative.
- This recipe also makes great muffins and mini muffins. You'll have to eyeball the baking time and cook until done- I think I usually start with about 15-20 minutes and then check them.
- Store cooled bread tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature and enjoy within 3-4 days for best results.
- You can also wrap the loaf tightly in plastic and then foil and freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1/12 loaf), Calories: 231kcal, Carbohydrates: 41g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 41mg, Sodium: 210mg, Potassium: 146mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 22g, Vitamin A: 216IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 18mg, Iron: 1mg
Calories: 231kcal
Cost: $3
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