Old Fashioned Banana Bread Recipe

Old Fashioned Banana Bread loaf with slice shown.

5 from 18 votes

Old Fashioned Banana Bread Recipe

Old fashioned banana bread that is soft, moist, and full of rich banana flavor. Made with butter, sour cream, and very ripe bananas, this classic quick bread bakes into a tender loaf that stays moist for days. A simple, reliable banana bread recipe perfect for sharing with family and friends.

Prep Time10

Cook Time50

Rest Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Bread, Dessert

Cuisine: Baked Goods

Servings: people

Calories: 385kcal

Author: Seanna Borrows

Equipment

2 loaf pans

Ingredients

¾ cup butter 1 ½ sticks, room temperature.
1 ½ cup sugar (granulated)
1 ½ cup bananas mashed.
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup sour cream

US Customary - Metric

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Instructions

Pre-Heat Oven. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour two 8×4" loaf pans.
Cream Butter and Sugar. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
¾ cup butter, 1 ½ cup sugar (granulated)
Mix Together Wet Ingredients. IIn a separate bowl, whisk together mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla.
1 ½ cup bananas, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Combine Creamed Butter and Sugar Mixture With Wet Ingredients. Add banana mixture to the creamed butter and sugar. Mix to combine.
Sift Together Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, ½ cup sour cream
Mix Batter. Add the dry ingredients and sour cream to the wet ingredients mixture, a little at a time, alternating between the two. Mix all together into a smooth batter and set aside.
Pour Batter Into Pans and Bake. Divide batter evenly into the pans. Bake 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and Unmold. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges, remove loaves, and cool completely.

Video

Notes

Banana Tip: Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the best banana flavor and natural sweetness.

Frozen Bananas: Thaw frozen bananas, then place them in a sieve and let the excess liquid drain off. Discard the liquid, mash the drained bananas, and use as directed.

Buttermilk Option: Buttermilk can be used instead of sour cream. Substitute ½ cup buttermilk for the ½ cup sour cream.

Batter Rest: Letting the batter rest for about 30 minutes before baking helps the flour absorb moisture so the bread bakes more evenly.

Mixing Tip: Mix just until combined once the flour is added. Overmixing can make banana bread dense or gummy.

Doneness: Start checking around 50 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Optional Add-Ins: Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or ½–¾ cup chocolate chips if desired.

Storage: Cool completely before storing. Wrap tightly and keep at room temperature up to 3 days, refrigerate up to 5 days, or freeze up to 3 months.

Attribution: This banana bread recipe came from my dear friend LaDonna, who shared her family’s version with me years ago.

Testing: This recipe has been baked many times in my home kitchen with consistent results.

At Seanna’s Kitchen, you’ll find tested recipes and real-life cooking tips trusted by home cooks across the Midwest and beyond. Food is love. Cooking is community.

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