This moist banana bread recipe is an updated spin on a classic Betty Crocker banana bread recipe. Using sour cream and brown sugar for a rich slice of banana goodness just like mom used to make, but better!
The Best Moist Banana Bread Recipe - This Ain't Your Mama's Recipe
Well, if your mama was my mama and had a thing for dry banana bread.
On the rare occasion when a bunch of bananas made it to the "ripe" stage in our house, my mom's favorite thing to make with them was banana bread.
Which was good in theory, but her recipe was from a 1950's cookbook and it was always just a little bit too dry and way too bready for me.
That may have been the style back in her day, but I prefer a moister banana bread that you don't have to eat with a glass of milk attached to your right hand.
I also rarely cook in high heels and a party dress, so yes, times have changed.
When I moved into my first apartment I received a Betty Crocker cookbook as a housewarming gift. One of the first recipes I tried was her classic banana bread and it was definitely an improvement over my mom's more bread-like banana bread.
But then one day when I was out of milk, I used sour cream instead of milk (or buttermilk depending which version of Betty Crocker's recipe you are used to using) and it turned out to be one deliciously MOIST loaf of banana bread!
I think Betty would approve.
Moist Banana Bread Recipe | Updated Betty Crocker Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups mashed bananas 3-4 medium
- 1 cup chopped walnuts optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 1 9x5-inch loaf pan or 2 8x4-inch loaf pans.
- Sift flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and set aside. Mix granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Stir in the mashed bananas. Mix in the flour mixture, fold in the nuts (optional) and spoon into your loaf pans.
- Bake until wooden pick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean - 9 inch loaf approximately 1 ¼ hours, 8-inch loaves 1 hour. Cool slightly. Loosen sides of loaf from the pans, flip pans over and remove bread from pans to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
And BTW, if you want to make banana bread, but don't have any super ripe bananas on hand, you can try the throw-them-in-the-oven trick!
Yes, you just place your unpeeled bananas on a cooking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper and bake at 250 degrees for 20-30 minutes. It's like magic.
No more waiting days for your bananas to ripen on their own!
Hey, and just because I'm a sucker for vintage cookware, here's a good shot of the loaf pans I used.
I found the vintage Ovenex pans at a thrift store (of course) and I believe it's called the starburst pattern.
What's your favorite type of banana bread? Moist and delicious or dry and cardboard-like?
Not trying to sway you in one direction or anything!
Other recipes you may enjoy:
Handmade Apple Hand Pies
Blueberry Crostata Recipe
Best Soft & Chewy Oatmeal Cookies
Crockpot Baked Apple Recipes
Kris @ Junk Chic Cottage
Pam,
Yummo!!! Banana Bread is a favorite around here too. This looks so good. Thanks for sharing the tip about ripening bananas in the oven. Gotta love the internet!!!
Have a great Sunday and great new week ahead.
Kris
Pam
I remember reading Hints From Heloise in my local paper years ago and now I just Google things. Much quicker.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
Looks delicious...and I have some ripe bananas just waiting! Thanks!
Pam
Happy I could help 🙂
Florence
Oh Pam, that looks so good! It looks like all your tweaking was a success. I love b. bread too. I never knew the trick of ripening bananas in the oven. Do the pans leave a design on the bread? Not that that makes it taste better or anything. I just wondered. I bet those would be a pain to clean.
Pam
No they don't, which surprised me. I expected them to come out with stars on them, but it was just as smooth as if they were flat pans. I ended up washing them three times because just when I thought I had gotten all the bread out of the crevices I would find more 🙂
Florence
Well, I just knew they would have designs!
Mary W Ferguson
It looks so good and delicious. I am going to try this, thanks so much for the recipe.
Mary
Pam
You're welcome, Mary!
taryterre
this one is a keeper. YUMMY.
Melissa's Antiques
Saving your recipe... because I know for a fact that the only recipe I have for banana bread is from my mom is it comes from that red/white checkered Betty Crocker cookbook. My husband will love this!
Randi
Sounds quite delish! Never added sour cream to my banana bread, but will have to try it!
dee
You had me at "sour cream" 🙂
Gay Correll
My mom didn't make banana bread, but banana cake. When I came home from school and smelled that in the oven I knew it was a pretty good day for her. (It might have been dry, but we didn't care.) She always sugared the top rather than frosting, and baked it in the same tan/green granite pan. That was one of the first things I chose when we cleaned out her house. I, too, have a "moist" banana bread recipe that is my family's favorite--but it makes two loaves and I ain't got time for that, so I make it either in a bundt or tube pan and voila: banana cake!
Pam
Sitting down with a fork and a big old slice of banana cake sounds Heavenly!
Judy Wootan
Gay, you didn’t share your moist banana bread recipe. ?
I enjoy comparing. Is yours similar to Pam’s??
I’m a banana saver. Freezer is getting crowded. One of these days I’m going to actually cook bananana bread!
Rose Martine
You are AMAZING! Thank you thank you thank you so much for this. I was considering doing the same thing and you’ve just made the task a lot less daunting.
Regards
Mery
Definitely will try this recipe!
I am looking for a moist banana bread.
Thanks a bunch for this easy and yummy recipe!
Kayla
Could you leave out the sour cream?
Pam Kessler
Yes, you can!