Description

This Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe delivers a tender, flavorful loaf with a perfect balance of sweetness and spice. Made with ripe bananas, a blend of sugars, and optional warming spices, this banana bread is enhanced with oat flour for a hearty texture and sour cream to keep it moist. Toasted nuts add a delightful crunch, making it an irresistible treat perfect for breakfast or a snack.

Ingredients

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Main Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, 1 stick, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mashed ripe banana, 9 ounces, about 2 and 1/2 medium bananas
1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/2 cup old fashioned oats, blended into a powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Optional Spices and Add-ins

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 to 3/4 cup toasted pecans or walnuts

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Instructions

Prepare Oven and Pan: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper for easy removal after baking.
Toast Nuts: If using nuts, spread 1/2 to 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans on a dry baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 5-7 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, until fragrant. Let cool.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar and continue to beat for about 2 minutes until fluffy, making sure to scrape the bowl sides.
Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract, ensuring the mixture is well combined and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
Mash Bananas: In a small bowl, mash about 2 and 1/2 very ripe bananas to make 1 cup of mashed banana. Add to the butter mixture and stir to incorporate thoroughly.
Prepare Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour to the batter bowl but do not stir. Blend old fashioned oats into a powder using a blender or food processor, then add the oat flour to the bowl.
Mix Baking Soda, Baking Powder, and Salt: With a small spoon, stir baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt into the combined flours to prevent clumping.
Add Optional Spices: Mix in cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves if desired for extra flavor, though the bread is delicious without these.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Stir the dry ingredients gently into the wet ingredients, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl until just combined without overmixing.
Fold in Sour Cream and Nuts: Fold the sour cream into the batter to keep it moist. Fold in toasted nuts if using, reserving some to sprinkle on top if preferred.
Fill Pan and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 65 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick deep into the center; it should come out clean or with moist crumbs but no wet batter.
Cool Bread: Let the bread cool in the pan for about 20 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

You can vary the mashed banana amount up to 2 cups (18 ounces) for a denser, slightly gummy bread without changing other ingredients.
If you do not want to use oats, replace the 1/2 cup old fashioned oats with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour.
Sprinkle some nuts on top of the batter before baking for a crunchy crust effect.
Store the banana bread covered at room temperature for up to 2 days; refrigerate thereafter if needed.
Freeze whole loaves wrapped in foil and stored in a zipper bag or slice and freeze portions individually for convenience.
To reheat frozen slices, thaw at room temperature in a sealed container and toast briefly to refresh texture.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice
Calories: 250 kcal
Sugar: 18 g
Sodium: 210 mg
Fat: 11 g
Saturated Fat: 6 g
Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 3 g
Cholesterol: 55 mg