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moist banana bread

The Foolproof Foundation for Moist Banana Bread

This is your new baseline, the master recipe that engineers moist banana bread from the inside out. It uses simple, clever tricks to trap moisture and flavor in every slice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 extra-ripe brown-speckled bananas (The blacker, the better. This is non-negotiable for flavor and moisture.)
  • 1/2 cup 113g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2/3 cup 135g light brown sugar (The hygroscopic hero that keeps things moist)
  • 1/4 cup 60g granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs at room temp
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups 190g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/2 cup 120ml full-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt (The secret weapon for tang and a tender, moist crumb)

Method
 

  1. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan thoroughly.
  2. In a large bowl, mash your bananas until mostly smooth. A few tiny lumps add great texture to your finished moist banana bread.
  3. Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into the banana mash. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Here’s the crucial move for moisture: Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and gently fold. Before it’s fully combined, dump in all of the sour cream. Fold, then add the rest of the flour. Mix just until you don’t see white streaks. Overmixing is the enemy!
  6. Pour the batter into your pan. For an iconic crackly top, sprinkle an extra tablespoon of sugar over it.
  7. Bake for 55-65 minutes. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
  8. THE HARDEST PART: Let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cutting it hot steams out the precious moisture we worked so hard for. Let it cool almost completely.

Notes

This recipe is the definition of reliable moist banana bread. The brown sugar and sour cream team up to create an incredibly tender crumb that stays fresh for days. That sprinkle of sugar on top gives you a delicate, shattery crust that’s the perfect contrast to the soft interior. It’s pure, unadulterated banana bliss.