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Sour Cream Banana Bread

Sour cream banana bread with an extra-moist, tender crumb and a deeply golden crust. Sour cream keeps the loaf soft and slightly glossy on top while baking in a classic 9x5 pan.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Sour cream banana bread
  • 3 ripe bananas Mashed until mostly smooth.
  • 0.5 cup butter Softened for easy creaming.
  • 0.75 cup sugar Granulated sugar.
  • 2 large eggs Room temperature helps the batter mix smoothly.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup sour cream Use plain sour cream for tangy moisture.
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour Measure accurately for a tender loaf.
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Prep and heat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the loaf releases cleanly after baking.
Cream and add wet ingredients
  1. Beat the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time and mix in vanilla until smooth and uniform.
Add bananas and sour cream
  1. Stir in the mashed bananas and sour cream until fully combined, scraping down the sides so no dry pockets remain.
Combine dry ingredients
  1. Fold in the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until just combined—do not overmix to keep the crumb tender.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool and turn out
  1. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out to finish cooling for cleaner slices and set texture.

Notes

For the most tender banana loaf, use ripe bananas with lots of brown speckles and mix the batter only until the dry ingredients disappear. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months (wrap well). For a dairy-free swap, replace sour cream and butter with plant-based substitutes designed for baking.