Classic banana bread is a recipe that should be in every cook’s arsenal. This is our favorite recipe, as it boasts just the right amount of sweetness without being overly saturated with sugar and a perfect texture that highlights the natural flavor of the banana. It calls for a small amount of yogurt or sour cream, which makes it incredibly tender and soft. Over the years when we’ve been in a pinch we’ve subbed a variety of things for that ingredient, including applesauce, and even ricotta cheese! Try this recipe and you’ll agree you’ve finally found the best classic banana bread recipe! If you’d like mix it up a bit, we also love Chocolate-Swirled Banana Bread, Coconut-Lime Banana Bread, and Caramelized Banana Bread with Brown Butter Glaze.
Scroll past recipe card for step by step how-to photos and instructions.
The Best Classic Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana about 3-4 ripe bananas
- 1/3 cup sour cream or plain yogurt see note
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Cut a piece of parchment paper so it fits like a sling into your loaf pan and overhangs over the longer sides of your pan. Spray your loaf pan with cooking spray and then place the parchment paper in so it sticks and then spray the top of the paper as well. (If you're not sure what this step should look like, see photos in blog post for reference) If you don't have parchment you can simply spray your loaf pan, or butter and flour it. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.
Notes
If this recipe looks familiar, it’s because it’s pulled from another recipe on our site- this Chocolate Swirled Banana Bread. Same recipe, only in that one you marble a portion of the batter with melted chocolate. It’s a fun variation! We wanted our classic version to have it’s own spot here in the index, so here we are.
How to Make the Best Banana Bread
One of the unique parts about this recipe is that, for a quick bread recipe, it is lower in fat and sugar than most others. With only 4 tablespoons of butter, you still get a super rich flavor and tender texture.
After blending the soft butter and sugar, you’ll mix in bananas, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream or yogurt. I’ve included several notes about other things you can use in place of the sour cream or yogurt- this recipe is very flexible! A few basic dry ingredients are added and that’s it. This recipe is very quick and easy to mix up.
TIP: The Best Way to Bake Quick Breads
I always line my pans with parchment. You don’t need to line the entire interior, like you would with foil. Rather cut your parchment so it fits like a sling as show in the photo below. Spray your pan with cooking spray, then place the paper in over it and spray all sides of the pan again. This will make it super easy to lift your bread right out of the pan.
TIP: Top your quick breads!
Here’s a little tip for basically ALL quick breads- sprinkle a little brown sugar over the top before baking. I don’t even measure, but about 2-3 tablespoons. It kind of melts in, but leaves a slightly light, crisp topping that enhances so many breads.
You can see the sugar topping in this photo- it bakes up beautifully! Let your bread cool until just warm before you pull it out of your pan. Run a knife around the edges that weren’t covered in parchment and then use the paper to just lift it right out.
I love this banana bread with a little spread of soft butter on top. It’s soft and sweet and perfectly comforting!
Want more quick breads and muffins? Click here for our full index!
Questions & Reviews
This is my go to for banana bread and my kids love it!
The topping is my kid’s favorite!
Oh my Goodness!! This is awesome! The whole family love it. Thank you so much for sharing it ❤️
After trying and loving your banana cream pie recipe, I decided to try this recipe. Best banana bread recipe I’ve tried, and I tried many of them!
It cooked perfectly, didn’t burn on the sides and wasn’t mushy or dry in the middle and tasted delicious. I didn’t have sour cream so I tried the ricotta and milk substitute and I am surprised how well that worked out.
This is our go to recipe now. Thank you!!
Really looking forward to making this recipe! If I wanted to add pecans how much should I add? Chopped? Thank you!
Maybe 3/4-1 cup?
I baked this banana bread today but …. the middle sunk. It smells great, tastes great but the middle is sunken. Why would this be? Do I need to add additional flour because I live in St George, Utah? Love all your recipes. This is my go-to recipe website.S
I’m really not sure- I’ve never had that problem! I wonder if it’s uneven heating in your oven? Or perhaps not baked enough?
Wow great baking using this ingredients.I love baking and i can’t wait to try this using this formula.
Do you think this would work with plain Greek yogurt?
Absolutely!!
really nice
thanks…
This looks so good, and I love that it’s a lighter recipe. Love the brown sugar topping idea, too!
Try sprinkling a little Penzey’s vanilla sugar on quick bread and muffins before baking. YUM!!
These are delicious! I did half whole wheat flour, and they are super yummy.
Yay! if I wanted to add chocolate chips to this, how much should I add?
I’d start with a cup or so (more might make too much batter for your pan.) If you toss the chips with a spoonful of flour before adding, they’ll be less likely to sink to the bottom of the loaf.
This is my go to recipe and I love it!! I always add choc chips. I think usually a cup with some flour. I do save some to add to the top because it looks pretty. A lot of times I even use 1/2 whole wheat flour and 1/2 regular flour. It has an awesome nutty flavor and doesn’t dry it out at all.
Oh, thank you for this recipe. I’ve been looking for a replacement for my mom’s banana bread recipe for a while now. Yours are ALWAYS reliable!
How did you know? I’ve been looking for the perfect banana bread recipe and just have never found the right one. Plus, most are so fat-laden and full of sugar that I don’t love serving it to my family.
Thanks Sara! Can’t wait to try it. I’ll let you know 😉 lol. j/k, I’m sure it will be awesome.