There’s nothing quite like freshly baked banana bread. It’s probably the only tangible thing in this world that tastes like love. There’s something about the rich flavor of bananas with the hint of cinnamon or the pockets of melted chocolate chips all baked into the dense hearty cake that we pretend is bread so we can eat it for breakfast with less guilt. It has bananas in it, so it’s healthy right? Check out our sour cream banana bread to get your fix.

Introducing: Banana Bread with Sour Cream 

Although we may already have our favorite versions of banana bread, add this one to your repertoire. This bread adds a cup of sour cream to the batter. Sounds questionable? Just one bite of this will cancel any doubts. This bread is so decadent and buttery, it will melt in your mouth. This recipe wins for most moist banana bread ever. 

Banana bread is the perfect way to use ripe bananas about to go bad. The riper the bananas are, the more flavorful the bread will be. Plus, this recipe freezes wonderfully, making it the best make-ahead and grab on-the-go snack or breakfast or treat. You’ll get two loaves out of this recipe, so you can always freeze one for later. Banana bread never goes out of season, not when there are bananas turning brown on the counter. 

With this recipe, you don’t need to worry about the bread drying out after a few days. It stays moist even the next day.  

Read: These Pan-Fried Cinnamon Bananas Couldn’t Be Easier To Make

Helpful Tips

Here’s a tip, make sure the bananas are fully mashed before you incorporate them into the batter. You could use a potato masher or a fork, whichever works. You don’t want to over mix this batter, so mix the dry ingredients together before slowly adding the dry until every is just combined. 

The standard size loaf pans (8.5 x 4.5) work best for this recipe. 

Different Versions of the Same Recipe

We’ve also included an alternative banana bread recipe for those who are gluten-free, vegan, paleo, looking to reduce their sugar intake, or someone who just prefers a more nutritionally rich bread overall. This recipe uses almond and coconut flour instead of wheat flour, and maple syrup instead of refined sugar. Most of the sweetness comes from the bananas themselves, so be sure to use very ripe ones! 

The occasional indulgence won’t detract from an otherwise healthy lifestyle so it’s up to your which recipe you’d go for today. Remember, the healthy recipe is still calorically dense, so moderation is key in both cases. 

Banana bread tastes like how a warm hug feels so be sure to share this recipe or the end product with the ones you love.  

Keep Reading: Lavender Cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting (Gluten-free and Vegan Options)

Banana Bread with Sour Cream Recipe 

Recipe by Christi Johnson from Love From The Oven 

Ingredients 

• 1/3 cup butter softened 
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar 
• 2 eggs 
• 4 large very ripe bananas, mashed* 
• 1 cup sour cream 

• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or white whole wheat 
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp salt 

• 1 cup chocolate chips, chopped walnuts or pecan, optional 

Instructions 

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and generously grease two loaf pans that are approximately 8.5 x 4.5 inches in size. 

2. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and mix well. Add the sour cream, mashed bananas, vanilla, and stir to combine. Slowly add the flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips or nuts, if using. 

3. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. 

*If you use smaller bananas, five are recommended.  

Healthy Banana Bread Recipe 

INGREDIENTS 

• 1/3 cup coconut flour 
• 1/4 cup finely ground almond flour 
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• 1/2 tsp baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt 
• 1/4 cup coconut oil 
• 1/4 cup smooth unsweetened natural almond butter (or peanut butter*) 
• 2 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup) 
• 2 tbsp maple syrup 
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 2 large eggs (or chia or flax eggs for vegans) 

DIRECTIONS 

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line an 8″-x-5″ loaf pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the coconut oil and almond (or peanut) butter. Microwave until the coconut oil is melted and almond butter is more liquid, 10 seconds on high. Whisk in the mashed bananas, maple syrup, and vanilla, then whisk in the eggs. Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined.  

3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 40 to 45 minutes, until top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before slicing. 

*If you use peanut butter, the flavor will be slightly altered. 

Keep Reading: Potato Yeast Starter for Baking Bread

The post This Banana Bread With Sour Cream Melts in Your Mouth (With Vegan, GF, Paleo Option) appeared first on The Hearty Soul.