Sour Cream Banana Bread

Sour Cream Banana Bread

This recipe makes either two large (7×3″) loaves or what I prefer, four small loaves. It’s nice and moist!

Sliced and ready for butter!

Sour Cream Banana Bread

6 Tablespoons or 3/4 of a stick butter, softened.
1 1/4 c white sugar (I have since decreased the sugar to 3/4 c without ruining it,  it’s your choice.)
2 medium eggs
3 ripe bananas (1 1/3 c)
8 oz sour cream (1 c)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp  cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c flour
1/2 c walnuts chopped

Cinnamon and sugar to dust pans = about 1/8 c sugar + 1/2 tsp or more of cinnamon. I keep a small jar of cinnamon sugar in the cupboard, I don’t measure the cinnamon really, just add and shake until it ‘looks’ right!

1. Turn on oven to 325 degrees F, grease your pans (I used veg. spray) then pour the cinn/sugar mix into the pan and tip around to coat all sides and bottom. This is optional but makes a nice touch.

2. Cream butter and sugar well, mix in eggs, then mashed banana, sour cream, vanilla. I like to make things by hand but I found this was just easier to put in the mixer and let it go while I did things, nice and fluffy!

3. Mix the dry ingredients, flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a bowl using a whisk. Add to mixer then add the nuts. If someone in the family doesn’t like nuts, leave them out for now, put some batter in one pan, then add some nuts to the rest! I do this all the time when I want to experiment with adding ingredients; I think raisins or chocolate chips would be nice in this recipe!

4. Sprinkle some chopped nuts along the top center of each before you put in the oven, it really makes them look sooo nice when they’re done. Bake one hour, center rack of the oven.

5. Cool for ten minutes or more then remove carefully from pans, let cool on a rack (if you can keep from cutting into one!)

Warm from the pans...ooo smells so good!

This bread is so moist you don’t need to butter it, BUT it DOES taste really yummy with fresh, creamy butter!  Where’s my cup of tea? It’s time for Banana Bread!

You can see the cinn/sugar coating on the pans

• When cool I like to take two small loaves and wrap them with wax paper, then wrap with a few layers of plastic wrap then pop them in the freezer, or give a fresh loaf to your neighbor who just snow-plowed your driveway!!
• I keep a small jar of chopped mixed nuts by my stove for adding into oatmeal. It’s great to sprinkle on your quick breads like this; my mix is pecans, walnuts and almonds.
• You can also top with this mixture: 1/2 c brown sugar, 1/2 c flour, 2-3 T butter (soft), 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/3 c walnuts. Don’t overload tops if doing muffins, it weighs them down, but it tastes sooo good! Makes more than enough.
• This bread is also good with chocolate chips added and / or raisins.
• The original recipe called for 1 1/4 c sugar, I decreased it to 3/4 c and think it tastes fine. Also I increased the vanilla and cinnamon from 1 tsp to 2 tsp.
• If making into muffins, bake for only 35 min or so.
• If your low on sour cream you can use yogurt or top off with a couple spoonfuls of mayonnaise! Yup you heard me right, I actually like to add it for more flavor! But don’t tell the family, just do it.

Enjoy your banana bread!