Brown Sugar Banana Bread

 

B is for Banana and Brown Sugar

This Brown Sugar Banana Bread is soft, moist, and deeply flavored with very ripe bananas and warm spices. Using both mashed bananas and diced banana pieces adds extra moisture and texture throughout the loaf, with brown sugar adding extra depth to the banana flavor.

Sour cream keeps the crumb tender without making it heavy, and a combination of oil and butter ensures rich flavor and a loaf that stays moist for days. It is a simple, delicious bake that fits right in with the Alphabet Challenge and makes the most of the letter B.

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What You'll Need

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (3 to 4 medium bananas)
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup neutral oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup diced ripe banana (1 to 2 medium bananas)

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How to Make it

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour and line it with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the sides.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and nutmeg. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, 3/4 cup brown sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
3. Gently stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture just until combined, then fold in the diced banana until no flour streaks remain.

4. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of brown sugar on top.

5. Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour, loosely covering with foil during the final 15 minutes if needed to prevent over-browning.
6. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

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Tips

• Add mix-ins: Chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit can be folded in for extra texture and flavor.
• Check doneness carefully: Every oven is different. Start checking at 50 minutes. A toothpick should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
• Serve warm or toasted: Slices are especially delicious warmed in the oven or toaster for a few minutes. It makes great French toast too!

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If you try this recipe, leave a comment and let me know how it turned out. For more banana bakes, check out our Banana Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins or Banana Split Bread.

 

Thanks again to Wendy for hosting the challenge! This is our third time working through the alphabet, and you can follow along with the recipes we’re sharing this year right here: Alphabet Challenge 2026. Scroll down to see what the other bloggers are sharing for the letter B.

Brown Sugar Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (3 to 4 medium bananas)
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup diced ripe banana (1 to 2 medium bananas)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and nutmeg.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together mashed banana, 3⁄4 cup brown sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. Gently stir flour mixture into banana mixture just until dry ingredients are moistened.
4. Fold in diced banana until no flour streaks remain. Spread batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar onto batter.
5. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour, loosely covering with foil during final 15 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning.
6. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes

Source: https://bakefromscratch.com/brown-sugar-banana-bread/

Recommended Products

Reynolds Parchment Paper

Wilton 8x4 Nonstick Loaf Pan

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Quick Breads, Breakfast, Dessert

American

 

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