Bakery-Worthy Banana Bread Recipe

Banana bread is a true gem in the world of quick bread baking. It utilizes past-its-prime fruit, offers all of the enjoyment of eating cake, and is simple enough for any home baker to whip up when the mood strikes. The moist texture and subtle sweetness imparted by overly ripe bananas likely have a nostalgic flavor for many. Even though this is a popular breakfast and snack bread to prepare at home, there is nothing quite as glorious as a gleaming golden brown banana loaf beckoning from a bakery window. Recipe developer and former pastry chef Julie Kinnaird shares with us her bakery-worthy banana bread, a recipe that she once baked daily to fill the window case of a popular dine-in full-service bakery. The bread has the classic mellow flavor and aroma of bananas, combined with the richness of butter, brown sugar, and sweet pecans. Kinnaird adds a bit of nutmeg and rum extract as a nod to one of her favorite desserts — Bananas Foster. The finished bread has a wonderful cake-like quality, making it perfect for breakfast or dessert.

To give the bread an extra moist texture, Kinnaird uses sour cream in the recipe. This addition adds a tanginess to play against the sweetness of the bananas and helps to create a tender crumb. The finished bread is delicious all by itself, or topped with a bit of butter or jam. Even though it is baked at home, this recipe's unique flavors and superior texture will rival even the prettiest bakery loaf.

The most important element in this recipe, obviously, is the overripe bananas. Extra-ripe bananas have developed extra sugars, a silky-soft texture, and are more moist and flavorful than those with a tinge of green or those that are yellow but firm. Most grocers will have a stash of brown-flecked bananas that have fallen by the wayside if you don't already have some ready at home. Just make sure you look for signs of mold or strong off-odors upon peeling, as these might be indications that the bananas are no longer edible. Aside from mashed bananas, you will start the recipe by creaming together softened unsalted butter and light brown sugar. Kinnaird prefers using brown sugar in this recipe over white granulated sugar due to its caramel flavor and additional moist texture. To prepare the eggs for this recipe, make sure that they are at room temperature. This allows the proteins in the eggs to relax and more easily combine with the other ingredients, and prevents the softened butter from becoming chilled and curdled. One additional ingredient to bring to room temperature is full-fat sour cream. This is Kinnaird's secret weapon for extra moistness and a tender crumb. For the dry ingredients, you will need all-purpose flour, sea salt, baking soda, and ground nutmeg. The baking soda will react with the acidity of the sour cream and brown sugar, and the nutmeg adds a distinctive flavor that also pairs nicely with the rum and vanilla extracts. The final addition is chopped raw pecans. The buttery and sweet flavor of the pecans is lovely in this bread and also adds a toothsome bite. 

Preheat an oven to 350 F.

Oil a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan and line with a 9 x 16-inch parchment strip to hang over both long sides.

Cream together the butter and brown sugar with a hand-held or stand mixer.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Mix in the bananas.

Stir in the sour cream and extracts.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture on low speed, mixing just until combined.

Stir in the pecans.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan.

Bake the bread for 55-60 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

Remove the bread from the oven and cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

Use the parchment strips to lift the bread from the pan.

Cool completely, then slice and serve with desired toppings.

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This recipe can work as a versatile template for adding your own personal flair. If you want to amp up the intensity of the butter flavor, consider taking a few extra steps to make brown butter. This will also add an additional nuttiness and toasted fragrance to your baked banana bread. Kinnaird says that it is important to add in a bit of additional liquid if you want to substitute brown butter for fresh. Mix in 2 tablespoons water to the batter to compensate for the evaporation of moisture that happens during cooking. 

For additional substitutions or mix-ins, start with the nuts. Walnuts or hazelnuts would also fit the flavor profile of this recipe. If using hazelnuts, Kinnaird says to be sure to roast them first and remove as much of their papery skins as possible before adding to the recipe. This will prevent a bitter taste in your bread. Kinnaird also enjoys the addition of chocolate to this bread. ½ cup of milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips can be stirred in with the nuts at the end. If you want to try variations on the spice, cinnamon would be a delicious swap for the nutmeg. 

Although this banana bread is absolutely delicious as soon as it is cool enough to slice, Kinnaird says that her favorite day to eat it is usually day 3. As the banana bread "ages," the gluten structure and proteins relax, moisture comes out from the bananas and sour cream, and the flavors mature and meld together. Another bonus is that the bread becomes super easy to slice and use in a variety of ways. To properly store your bread, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap once it is completely cool and keep it refrigerated. Wrapping too soon can cause the bread to become soggy if there is still heat trying to escape from the center. A properly stored loaf will stay fresh for a week under refrigeration. The bread can also be frozen for up to 4 months. Just the simple act of freezing for a day will also create the same textural effect, so add an extra layer of plastic or a ziplock bag and freeze away.

This recipe makes a large loaf, so if you want to get creative with your leftovers, there are lots of fun options. Kinnaird loves making banana bread pudding, with toasted cubes of banana bread tossed in a mixture of eggs, cream, and a bit more brown sugar, then baked and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Banana bread French toast is also a tasty way to use up extra slices. You can soak and fry the pieces whole, or cut them into wide strips to dip in syrup as French toast sticks. Imagine topping a toasted slice of the bread with soft cream cheese and a sprinkle of bacon crumbles for a savory treat. And if you want to get really decadent, a banana bread and Nutella sandwich is the way to go!

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