Description
JB’s Banana Bread is a moist, flavorful loaf packed with ripe bananas, warm spices, and a tender crumb. This recipe blends all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and allspice with mashed bananas, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, butter, and oil for a rich yet soft texture. Baked to golden perfection, it’s perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea, or a delicious snack any time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups plain flour (all-purpose flour)
- 1 tsp baking soda (sifted, bi-carbonate soda)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt (or cooking salt; adjust if using flakes)
- 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/4 tsp allspice powder
Wet Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe bananas (400g/14oz peeled; about 1 3/4 cup mashed)
- 1 tightly packed cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk (room temperature, approx 55g/2oz shell-on weight)
- 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream
- 80g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan). Place the oven rack in the middle position. Prepare a loaf pan (21.5 x 11.5 x 7 cm) by scrunching a 40 cm/16” sheet of baking/parchment paper and pressing it into the pan with an overhang for easy removal.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Whisk them together until evenly mixed.
- Mash Bananas: In a large bowl, use a potato masher to mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth. Measure out 1 3/4 cups for the recipe; reserve any extra for another use, like a smoothie.
- Add Wet Ingredients: To the mashed bananas, add the brown sugar, whole eggs plus egg yolk, full-fat sour cream, melted butter, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk gently until all wet ingredients are well combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet: Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet banana mixture. Using a spatula, fold gently just until the flour is incorporated. It’s fine to have some small lumps; avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Fill Loaf Pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface evenly.
- Bake: Bake the banana bread in the preheated oven for about 70 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even cooking. Check doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; it should come out clean. The bread will develop a characteristic crack on the top as it rises.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then lift it out using the parchment paper overhang and place it on a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour, before slicing.
- Serve: Enjoy the banana bread slightly warm or at room temperature. It’s delicious on its own or with a spread of butter, perfect for breakfast, snacks, or afternoon tea.
Notes
- Note 1: Sifting the baking soda helps distribute it evenly through the flour for a consistent rise.
- Note 2: Using ripe bananas (with brown spots) enhances sweetness and flavor.
- Note 3: Full-fat sour cream adds moisture and tenderness to the bread.
- Note 4: Measuring mashed bananas after mashing ensures accuracy; extra can be saved for smoothies or other recipes.
- Note 5: The crack on top is natural and creates the classic banana bread look.
- Note 6: Cooling fully before slicing prevents the bread from crumbling and allows flavors to develop.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 70 minutes
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana bread, moist banana loaf, homemade banana bread, cinnamon banana bread, easy baking recipe
