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Incredibly Moist (Easy) Banana Bread

This banana bread recipe boasts a moist, tender crumb thanks to ripe bananas and sour cream, making it an easy and comforting treat perfect for any time of the day.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour For a slightly denser loaf, use whole wheat pastry flour.
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Optional — toast the cinnamon briefly for a deeper aroma.
Wet Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled Coconut oil swaps well for a dairy-free option.
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed Reduce to 1/2 cup for a less sweet, more wholesome loaf.
  • 2 large eggs Room temperature.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt Yogurt makes this loaf a touch tangy and extra moist.
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups) The riper, the sweeter and more flavorful.
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips Optional — pumpkin seeds or dried cranberries are lovely too.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment for easy removal.
  2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  3. In a larger bowl, whisk melted butter and brown sugar until glossy. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
  4. Fold in the mashed bananas and sour cream or yogurt.
  5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Overmixing makes the crumb tight.
  6. Fold in walnuts or chocolate chips if using.
  7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Optionally sprinkle a few banana slices or coarse sugar on top.
Cooking
  1. Bake for 55–65 minutes. The top should spring back slightly and a toothpick will come out with a few moist crumbs.
  2. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice warm for gooey chocolate or after it cools for cleaner slices.

Notes

For a gluten-free version, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Swap half the sugar for applesauce or replace sour cream with Greek yogurt for added protein.