Sour Cream Banana Bread {One-Bowl!}
This one-bowl sour cream banana bread recipe is amazingly popular for good reason! Super moist and fluffy, it is crazy delicious and so easy to make!
One of the best banana bread recipes ever, this bread has been a tried-and-true favorite for over a decade.
And you don’t have to take my word for it! With over 1,000 five-star reviews, it’s popularity speaks for itself.
Easy Banana Bread Batter
In this recipe, the wet ingredients get mixed up first:
- granulated sugar
- oil or melted butter
- eggs
- mashed bananas
- sour cream
- vanilla
Then the flour, baking soda and salt are added. No need to mix them first in another bowl.
This is a one-bowl batter, and it’s brilliantly easy.
Don’t Over Mix
As with all good quick bread recipes, one important key to this recipe is to mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Over mixing the batter could mean death to a lovely, soft, moist loaf of perfect banana bread.
Easily Doubled
This recipe makes one loaf of banana bread. But it is easily doubled, and I highly encourage you to do so.
In fact, I often buy several bunches of bananas just to let them ripen in destruction on my kitchen counter to prepare for this amazing recipe.
What Causes the Speckles in Banana Bread?
Have you ever wondered why some banana bread has dark speckles and others don’t?
I’ve done a lot of reading and testing (I’m telling you, NERD, and proud of it) to figure out why some banana bread loaves have a light-colored crumb and other recipes produce the dark speckles like you see in these pictures.
The reason? Baking soda.
Banana bread recipes that have a larger amount of baking soda and less baking powder usually have a darker, more speckled crumb. This sour cream banana bread has a full teaspoon of baking soda and no baking powder…and it clearly results in darker speckles.
This much lighter buttermilk banana bread only has 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (and a teaspoon of baking powder).
Classic Sour Cream Banana Bread
For a classic, traditional, perfect banana bread recipe, you can’t go wrong with this sour cream banana bread.
If you take a quick glance through the comments, you’ll easily see that many, many, many of you have fallen in love with this banana bread over the years. This recipe has over 500 5-star reviews!
No surprise! It is so easy – one bowl! So delicious – supremely moist and tender!
It really is one of the best banana bread recipes out there.
Sour Cream Banana Bread FAQs
Many readers over the years have done just that. They’ve reported back with good results. The recipe will yield about 17-20 muffins (bake them at the same temp in the recipe and check them around 17-18 minutes).
Buttermilk can be used in place of the sour cream (the batter will be thinner, but that’s ok). Subbing in dairy milk or non-dairy milk for the sour cream may affect the texture and overall end result of the bread because the recipe needs the acidity of the sour cream (or buttermilk) to turn out correctly.
Yes, that works great! Toss them in with the flour (just remember not to over mix!).
Sour Cream Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar (see note to reduce the sugar)
- ½ cup oil (see note)
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (227 g) mashed ripe bananas, about 3 ripe bananas
- ½ cup (113 g) sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cup (213 g) all-purpose flour (see note)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a 9X5-inch loaf pan (or several mini loaf pans).
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil. Add the eggs, bananas, sour cream and vanilla; blend well.
- Add the flour, baking soda and salt; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
- Cool for five minutes in the pan. Gently turn out onto a cooling rack and cool completely. Store covered at room temperature (the bread also freezes great).
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Leigh Anne at Your Homebased Mom
Recipe originally posted June 2009; updated with new pictures, recipe notes, and commentary.
Mel, I’m not much of a baker, and since my hubby and I are eating low carb, it’s been a long time since I’ve made something like this! But, I wanted to make a treat for my son who is home from college. It tastes DELICIOUS, but it came out flat. I doubled the recipe, using the standard 9×5 loaf pans, subbed plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream, used half coconut oil and half applesauce. I weighed the flour (but now I wish I had weighed the bananas – I might have used a smidgen too much). Baked in convection oven on 330 for about 50 min. The bread is dense and not crumbly at all. Oh, I do believe I stirred the batter too much! I didn’t read that direction before stirring! Can that be the problem? I want to get this right for next time! Please diagnose, if you can 🙂 Sure appreciate all you do, Mel!
Hi Sheree – remind me, do you live at high altitude? That can have an impact on quick breads coming out flat and/or dense. Over mixing will also make a huge difference in the outcome!
I live in Mesa, AZ so no high altitude. I guess it was the over mixing. That seems more likely that a little too much banana, I think. I’ll definitely have to try again!
I’ve made this multiple times and will never find another recipe again! Amazing recipe! I added baking soda and a teaspoon of baking powder and it is so nice and fluffy!
Very easy and delicious especially with the orange added. …never would of thought banana and orange work so well together. Added cream cheese icing…omg loaf was gone same day…a must have
Orange? I can’t find the comment that talks about orange. Orange juice or zest?
Angie
It was delicious! So moist and flavourful! A real hit at our house!
Hello Mel. Is temp 350 for convection oven baking? So looking forward to trying this recipe!
Usually for convection, I set it 25 degrees lower than the recipe (so 325 degrees for this recipe)
Bicarbonate of soda or ‘baking soda’ is also a base which forms carbon dioxide when mixed with an acid (in the form of bananas / sour cream, etc.) so adding too much may lead to an unpleasant flavour. Adding too little may cause a low rise (not enough carbon dioxide gas forming).
Baking soda assists in creating the brown colour of the banana bread because of a certain reaction called the Maillard reaction aka the flavour reaction – which occurs for most food because it is between amino acids and reducing sugars. Since baking soda is a base, it increases the pH of the banana bread batter and this drives the Malliard reaction to create a more pronounces golden ‘darker’ colour.
Hope that helps!
Best banana bread I ever made ! It was moist and delicious .
We want to pour the batter into a 4-slot mini loaf pan (approx. 3 x 5 in. each) and make a bunch to deliver to friends. How high do you recommend filling each pan?
This is our favorite banana bread recipe!
Hi Amanda, I’d say fill them about 2/3 full.
This is the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted!! It’s going to be my go-to recipe forever more. Thank you so much!!
I made this last month and it was the best banana bread I have ever had.
This month I only have gluten free and whole wheat flour, do you have any thoughts on which one would work better in this recipe?
I haven’t tried it with gluten free flour but I have made it with whole wheat. It works pretty well! It’s slightly more dense but still yummy.
This has been my goto recipe for years. Only substitution is GLUTEN FREE flour! Perfect every time as a loaf and cupcakes! Thank you!!!
Perfect recipe!! Had to make another batch the same day after my family ate it all in a few hours. I cut the oil and sugar to nearly half and still it came out great!!
Thank you!!
I love banana bread and this recipe is my favorite so far! The bread came out so moist and delicious! I added some chocolate chips and walnuts and cut down the sugar and everyone loved it.
I have had a hard time with banana bread recipes since I live at 5,500 ft altitude. This turned out wonderfully and stayed nice and high. So good tasting!
I used 1/2 cup white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar, maybe 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of banana extract (plus the vanilla), only had two bananas so to compensate I used an entire container of strawberry banana yogurt (instead of the sour cream). Other ingredients as listed. Baked for 65 minutes at 340 degrees. Man oh man!
Loaves were flat. No “hump”. More flour?
I had the same issue, tasted delicious but did not rise high like banana bread usually does…any advice?
What size pan did you use?
This is absolutely the BEST Banana Bread recipe ever. It’s my go-to!
Oh my Gooosshhhhh! I made this bread thinking it was going to be just like the others. Boy! was I wrong!!! This was the best banana bread I have ever tasted; believe me when I say I have tried a lot of banana bread recipes. I am just ecstatic that my search for a recipe that didn’t use butter and wasn’t desert dry was over!! I believe the sour cream is the secret to the moistness in this bread. The amount of bananas was very satisfying as well. I am one to want to cut the amount of sugar in recipes but the sweetness was just right. Instead of the other half of white flour, I replaced the other half of cup of flour with whole wheat flour which always gives recipe that secret that people love but cant seem to figure out what the goodness is. I rate recipes based on how long the food lasts in my house and yep!! its a 10!!
This recipe is wonderful. Very moist and flavorful! Thank you for it. I substituted the sour cream for plain greek yogurt and it turned out perfectly. 1 loaf and 4 small loaves
This is the best banana bread I’ve ever made, and I’ve made a lot of recipes. It always comes out perfectly.
I make muffins from this recipe and usually end up with 17.
I hate it when people tweak a recipe and then rate it highly, but I always add a cup of chopped walnuts or pecans and sometimes a teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg. With or without the spices, it’s delicious!
Thank you, Mel!
This recipe has become a staple in my house and at my office. It is so good! I’ve fiddled with the recipe just a bit. I lowered the sugar to 2/3c and use Kerrygold melted butter in lieu of oil. Depending on who I’m making the loaf for, I’ll add a cup of toasted walnuts. I’ve had several people ask me for the recipe, so it’s definitely proven itself a winner!
I haven’t baked much since my daughter moved out two years ago. She was the baker. So thankful this turned out wonderful! Thank you for the perfect recipe. They produced a moist cake without being to dense.
Made this today and got to say it was wonderful . Easy to make and so moist with a great taste. Thanks for sharing .
Nut allergy in family. Do you think a handful of golden raisins would work well.
Sure!
Wow! Such a delicious banana bread! I used full day Greek yogurt as I had no sour cream. So good!
My family loves this banana bread! We usually like adding chocolate chips but the batter is not thick enough and they always end up on the bottom. Have you ever added baking cocoa to make a chocolate version?
I haven’t – sorry!
try coating your chocolate chips with a little flour (shaking them in a bowl is fine) before adding to the batter. it helps them stay afloat 🙂
Hi..I have been making this recipe for a while now and its loved by everyone! The thing is that I have recently moved to new place and cant seem to get my hands on sour cream,I have tried lots of BB recipes but this is the only one that hits the spot…so I was wondering if I cld try to substitute the sour cream with something else(greek yoghurt/buttermilk etc)…wld that alter the taste/texture etc..any advice/suggestion…Thanks
Greetings Mel~ As a new subscriber, I’m looking forward to making this recipe! I’m also looking forward to making the Buttermilk Banana Bread too. I like the idea sour cream is added to this. By right my baking trademark is adding mini chocolate chips to as many creations as possible! lol And next to that would be crushed pecans or walnuts as I love nuts too………. so based on what you share about the amount of baking soda determining the color of banana bread, what would happen if I did half teaspoon to this recipe?? Appreciate your insight!
Hi Julie – I think if you decrease the amount of baking soda in this recipe, it might affect how the bread rises in the oven (and the overall texture may not be as light and fluffy)
The sour cream banana was delicious! I have made it twice. The first time in one loaf and the second time in mini loaf pans. It turned out great both times. So yummy. Thanks!
This recipe for banana bread is the best one we have tried!
Could you sub pumpkin for the banana & add some spice? Has anyone tried this?
Everyone always enjoyed my previous banana bread recipe, but I was looking for something even better & a bit simpler to prepare. This is my new favorite! Everyone raved how delicious it was! I used yogurt instead of sour cream just because that’s what I had in fridge. Used 3/4 cup sugar, plus sprinkled some on top for a nice crunchy topping. and added some chopped walnuts & pecans.
So happy to see someone address the subject of dark/speckled versus light. I’ve been trying to figure this out for years. I’ve had a much harder time since I moved to a high altitude (20 years ago 🙂 ) achieving the dark/speckled outcome. I know the altitude affects the leavening – so the baking soda reason makes sense to me.
Looking forward to trying this recipe now!
Super good!! My three old who super stubborn about eating loves it!
Another winner! I made this with 100% hard white wheat, fresh ground, whisked and spooned and leveled into a 3-cup measure, which equaled 14.1 oz. (vs. the 15 oz. in the recipe), I used half applesauce for the oil, used the full amount of sugar (and doubled everything to make two loaves). Delicious, moist!, sweet and hearty. A great way to use up ripe bananas and sour cream I had on hand. Also, I liked that they didn’t have a strong ripe banana taste. Very nice treat. Thanks, Mel!
I made this today, used softened good quality margarine….buttermilk….added cinnamon and nutmeg. Wow! Amazing recipe base…..thank u so much for sharing. A definite keeper!
Great recipe! I had to cook my loaf with foil for the last 10 minutes, so that the top didn’t burn and I added another 5 minutes to the time in the oven. I added 1/2 c. of toasted chopped walnuts and 1/2 c. of raisins, and substituted 1/2 c. of flour for homemade oat flour. It gave the texture a little more bite 🙂
I just made this for the gazillionth time. Today I subbed butter for the oil and noticed the bread came out more golden…and fewer dark specks. I logged into your site to read comments to see if anyone else had noticed something similar. I didn’t find anything, but I DID read a whole bunch of “Best banana bread recipe ever!” comments.
My family LOVES this banana bread. Morbid thought…but reading the rave reviews made me realize that if anything happened to me, my family would miss me AND my banana bread. So, tonight, I decided to put a copy of this recipe in our fire safe…with all our important documents. I might be gone, but my (your!) banana bread, will live on!
I have been making this recipe since I found it over a year ago, and it is a showstopper and so simple too! I have become famous for my banana bread among all of my friends, and everyone looks forward to when I am making banana bread! This recipe is a gem, and I don’t know what I would do without it!! Thanks Mel!
Thanks, Gigi!
Delicious! Thanks for another great recipe.
I won my in-laws over with this recipe on a recent family trip! I want to make it to take to work, but think that this recipe as muffins would be easier to share with a crowd. How do you recommend baking them?
I’d probably bake them for 14-17 minutes in a muffin tin.
This recipe was moist and delicious! I couldn’t figure out why another recipe I was using was not moist. I think the oil and the sour cream made the difference with this one!
I just wanted to comment about the bananas in the list of ingredients. You listed 1 cup of mashed banana, then underneath that, you put 3 bananas. Three bananas makes more than 1 cup. I used 3 mashed bananas as I had in the past with another recipe. It made me pause, though. I would either eliminate the volume measurement and put just “3 bananas” or list the volume measurement and in parentheses, say about 3 or 4 bananas.
I will definitely make this recipe again! Thanks!
Made it! Absolutely delicious. Mahalos for the share!
I’ve been hooked on this recipe for the past few months. Easy to make and yummy to eat! Thanks!
Tried this recipe for the first time yesterday after previously sticking to some of your other banana bread recipes and WOW.. I think I have found a new favorite! The sour cream makes such a difference. Your blog never fails me and I am so appreciative of that.
Love this recipe, but every time I make it the center of my bread comes out raw, runny, or very doughy. Maybe because I use a glass loaf pan. If I cook it too long the outer layer crust so bad. May splitting into 2 loafs would help fix this issue…
The glass pan definitely makes a difference – I recommend reducing the oven temp by 25 degrees when using glass pans in baking so the baked goods bake more evenly.
That you, I will try this! Would I need to cook it about the same time or longer?
You’ll probably need a few extra minutes to account for the lower temp (but it should bake through better!)
This is the best banana bread I’ve ever tasted OR made. My 1 year old just ate an entire slice. He kept saying “yum yum” and was dancing. I have enjoyed making many of your recipes, but this may be one of your best (IMO)! I made it with Bob’s Red Mill cup for cup GF flour. The sub worked perfectly.
Thank you for sharing this absolutely delicious recipe, l have made quite a few banana bread recipes, this one is a keeper and the best.
This is one of those recipes that’s so good, I don’t want to tell others where to find the recipe so I can look like a great Baker.
I have made this 10+ times and it’s worked wonderfully each time. I’ve done full loves and mini. All are wonderful. I follow the recipe exactly, except I add chopped walnuts at the end. I’ve used coconut oil and vegetable oil. Both worked well. I never tried melted butter, but I always smear a little butter on the slice when I eat it.
This is a simple, moist, and delicious bread. I don’t foresee ever making banana nut bread using any other recipe. Thanks!
Do you have the nutrition facts and calories?
I don’t, sorry!
I just made this from some frozen (thawed) overripe bananas I’d been saving for smoothies, . I subbed melted butter for oil and used a little less than a cup of sugar. Threw in some chocolate chips for my kids. This was soooo good. A huge hit!