Deliciously Moist Banana Bread Recipe

This moist banana bread recipe is golden brown on the outside and sweet and fluffy on the inside.

It's just what you need for a mid-morning snack.

Plus, it's the perfect recipe for when you have bananas that are just a little too ripe.

In fact, the riper they are, the better your banana bread will turn out.

Spread some butter on top, pour a cup of coffee, and you'll have the perfect weekend treat.

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Ingredients

If you have the bananas ready, the rest of this recipe is pantry staples. Here's everything you need to create this mouth-watering banana bread:

• Butter. Butter adds flavor, moisture, and overall richness to the bread.

• Sugar. Regular granulated sugar is fine. It adds a sweet touch.

• Eggs. The eggs hold everything together and add moisture. They also help with the leavening process.

• Vanilla extract. It's hard to beat the rich warmth vanilla extra provides.

• Lemon juice. Lemon juice will slightly acidulate the batter.

• Flour. All-purpose is fine.

• Baking soda and baking powder. These will help the bread rise.

• Salt. Salt is always an excellent flavor enhancer.

• Sour cream. Here's the secret ingredient for ensuring the bread is as moist as possible.

• Chopped walnuts. Toast them first for extra flavor.

• Ripe bananas. If you have overripe bananas, those will work even better. 

Other Banana Bread Ingredients

Besides those things listed above, here are a few other things you can add to banana bread to make it taste great:

• Chocolate chips/chunks
• Raisins
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices
• Dates
• Almond extract
• Berries
• Brown sugar

How to Make Moist Banana Bread

You won’t believe how heavenly this recipe will make your house smell! And check out how easily this banana bread comes together.

The hardest part is patiently waiting for the bread to cool.

1. Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

2. Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Then, add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix well, and then set aside. 

3. Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. When it comes together, pour into the butter mixture and stir until smooth. 

4. Add the bananas. Using a fork (or potato masher), mash the ripe bananas. Then, fold in sour cream, walnuts, and bananas into the bread batter. 

5. Bake. Pour mixture into a greased 9×5 loaf pan, and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Cool. Take the bread out of the oven, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from the pan, and allow the bread to cool completely. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Tips & Tricks

Here are more ways to make your banana bread even better: 

• Measure properly. Don't pack your measuring cup because you might end up with too much. Use a spoon to place your dry ingredients into the measuring cup. Then, use the back of a knife to level it.

• Get a little nutty. Walnuts' hint of bitterness provides a nice balance to the bread's sweetness. However, any nuts you like will suffice. Feeling chocolatey? Try adding some chocolate chips with all those nuts.

• Mash the bananas thoroughly. You can use a fork, potato masher, or hand mixer. This is particularly important for those who don't like munching on slimy and mushy banana bits. 

• Check on the bread early. The recipe calls for 60 minutes of cooking time, but check it as early as 55 minutes in. You'll know it’s done when you see some moist bread sticking to your tester toothpick. 

• Combine dry and wet ingredients with a spatula. Fold them very gently for extra tender bread.

• Remove the bread from the pan quickly. You can give the bread about 10 minutes to cool. But after that, you need to get it out of that hot pan. If you leave it in too long, the bottom will become soggy. 

For even more tips and tricks, check out this recipe for Paula Deen's banana bread. If anyone knows how to do it right, it's her.

Best Bananas for Banana Bread

When it comes to banana bread, the blacker the peel, the better.

These mushy bananas give off a much sweeter flavor. Previously frozen ripe bananas work great as well.

Can I Use Frozen Bananas?

Frozen bananas are an excellent choice for making banana bread. Once thawed, they mash more easily and add extra moisture to the batter.

Simply thaw your frozen bananas at room temperature. If you need to speed up the process, place them (wrapped or in bags) in a bowl of warm water.

You can use them as soon as they're soft enough to mash.

Can I Freeze Overripe Bananas?

You can absolutely freeze overripe bananas. They're the perfect choice for banana bread, so definitely freeze them when you can.

Here's how:

1. Place them (peel and all) in a freezer-safe bag.
2. Press as much air out of the bag as possible.
3. Seal the bag.
4. Freeze the bananas for up to 3 months.

See the above section for tips on thawing them out.

How to Store Banana Bread

Even when you follow all the recipe tips mentioned above, banana bread tends to dry out when storing it overnight.

Here are some storage tips to keep your banana bread moist and delicious.

To Store: Wrap slices in plastic and pop them in an airtight container. Wrap whole loaves in plastic and foil. Keep leftovers at room temperature for up to 5 days. 

To Freeze: To freeze, make sure that the bread is completely cooled first. Then, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place it in a freezer-safe bag. It will stay fresh for up to 3 months in the freezer. 

Banana Bread FAQs

In case your banana bread doesn't turn out the way you wanted, here are some things to check for.

How Do You Make Banana Bread More Moist?

There are a few reasons for dry bread.

Make sure that you always use overripe bananas. Not only are overripe bananas sweeter, but they have a higher moisture content to keep your bread moist.

It’s also important that you never overmix your batter. Overmixing creates a dense and drier texture.

Why Did My Banana Bread Sink in The Middle?

It likely wasn’t cooked all the way through when you took it out of the oven.

While it may have looked done on the outside, it needs at least 50 minutes to cook.

Remember to check the center of the loaf with a toothpick or sharp knife. It should come out clean (or with a few little crumbs).

If it comes out wet with batter it needs longer.

If the top is browning and it's not fully baked, loosely cover the pan with foil and bake in 5-minute intervals until it's ready.

Why Didn't My Banana Bread Rise?

If your baking soda is expired, it won’t have the right chemical reaction in the oven. 

Another culprit for unrisen bread is that you overmixed your dough.

Always stir until the ingredients are just combined, and then stop. It’s okay if the dough is a little lumpy.

How to Ripen Bananas

There are a couple of easy ways to ripen green bananas.

• How to ripen bananas in a few days. Place bananas in a paper bag, and fold the top down. The gasses trapped inside help the bananas ripen faster. 

• How to ripen bananas right now. Pop them in the oven and bake for approximately 15-20 minutes at 250 degrees Fahrenheit.

More Banana Recipes You'll Love

Bisquick Banana Bread Recipe
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Banana Pudding Poke Cake