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Sour Cream Banana Bread

Sour Cream Banana Bread is a moist, tender quick bread made by creaming butter and sugar, mixing in mashed bananas and sour cream, then baking to a golden loaf. The sour cream keeps the crumb soft and fluffy for days, with optional cinnamon and a crunchy coarse-sugar top.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sour Cream Banana Bread
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs Room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 bananas Ripe, mashed
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon Optional
  • 1 tbsp coarse sugar Optional, for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
Cream the base
  1. Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides once during mixing to keep the batter even.
Add wet ingredients
  1. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
Fold in bananas and sour cream
  1. Stir in the mashed bananas and sour cream until smooth and creamy. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks remain.
Combine dry ingredients
  1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon if using. Whisk until the cinnamon is evenly dispersed.
Assemble batter
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined. Do not overmix so the loaf stays tender and moist.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar if desired.
Finish baking and cool
  1. Bake for 60–70 minutes, or until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns early, tent loosely with foil for the remaining bake time.
Cool before slicing
  1. Cool the bread in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Letting it cool fully helps the crumb set so slices hold together.

Notes

Pro tip: use very ripe bananas with deep yellow/brown spots for the strongest banana flavor. Store airtight at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freezing is yes—slice and freeze up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a slightly lighter option, use 2% sour cream (texture stays tender, crumb may be a touch softer).