The Best Banana Bread

The Best Banana Bread

Snack

Martha’s best banana bread recipe is easy to make and enriched with sour cream, giving it a subtle tang. This banana bread is perfectly moist and full of flavor.

Ingredients

  • ½ cupbutter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
  • 1 cupsugar
  • 2 largeeggs
  • 1 ½ cupsunbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1 teaspoonkosher salt
  • 1 cupmashed very ripe bananas
  • ½ cupsour cream
  • 1 teaspoonpure vanilla extract
  • ½ cupchopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

  1. 1

    Preheat oven, prepare pan, and cream butter and sugar: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.

  2. 2

    Add eggs: Add eggs and beat to incorporate.

  3. 3

    Whisk dry ingredients and add to butter mixture: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.

  4. 4

    Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla: Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine.

  5. 5

    Add nuts and transfer to prepared pan: Stir in nuts and pour into prepared pan.

  6. 6

    Bake: Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

  7. 7

    Cool: Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.