Banana Bread Recipe with Sour Cream

Did you ever find that perfect banana bread recipe? As in, the best banana bread you ever tasted?

No? Then try this! It’s loaded with chocolate chips, is wonderfully sweet, and thanks to the sour cream, it’s insanely moist.

Ingredients for the Best Sour Cream Banana Bread 

There are so many recipes out there, and I know everyone thinks they have the best banana bread recipe in the world!

I’m not trying to take the title, don’t worry.

But for those of you that don’t have a go-to recipe and are wondering, “how do you make banana bread?” - this one just happens to be my favorite.

Some people like to use butter; others prefer oil.

Some will skip eggs and use apple sauce, and others are adamant that chocolate chips do not belong in banana bread.

I’m firmly in the chocolate chip camp, and this recipe includes plenty, but you can leave them out if you prefer.

• Bananas are the star of this dish. No denying it. And the riper, the better! You want them browning and soft, so they’re as flavorful as possible. 
• Brown and white sugar are used to make sure it is sweet, intensely flavorful, and perfectly moist. 
• Melted butter is always my preference when baking. It might be the pastry chef in me, but I always miss the flavor when I use oil. 
• All-purpose flour is my go-to, and since so many recipes now use it, I always try to stick with it. If you only have self-raising, you’ll need to adjust the baking soda.
• Sour cream is the key to that incredible tender crumb!
• Chocolate chips will distribute through the batter and melt in, so you get some in every bite. I like to use mini chocolate chips for this, but if you use chocolate chunks, you’ll get amazing pockets of creamy melted chocolate.

Banana Bread Upgrades

On its own, banana bread is moist and delicious.

But let’s be honest, there are so many ways to make it impossible to resist.

How about Nutella Banana Bread? Made by swirling Nutella through the batter before baking.

Or what about Peanut Butter Banana Bread? You can swirl it through like the Nutella version or throw in some creamy peanut butter chips.

Personally, I think that banana bread with chocolate chips is the best.

But I won’t turn down a slice of Salted Caramel Banana Bread - I’d be more likely to fight you for a piece!

Can Bananas Be Too Ripe for Banana Bread?

No, bananas cannot be too ripe for banana bread. You want them to be black if possible! But brown with just a few yellow spots will do.

As bananas ripen, their flavor intensifies. While they may not be the most pleasant to eat - they will become mushy - they make the perfect addition to breads and cakes.

Freezing Ripe Bananas

I like to leave my bananas until they mostly black, then peel and freeze them for later use.

The reason I peel them before I freeze them is that as they thaw, they will start to seep out some of their juices. This can make peeling them messy.

Instead, peel and weigh the bananas, so you know what you have. Then you can pull the bag to thaw in the fridge and just need to pour the whole thing into the bowl the next day.

How to Keep Banana Bread Moist

Using the ripest bananas will help to keep your banana bread moist. Many recipes actually use bananas and apple sauce in place of butter and oil for just that reason.

Sour cream is your best friend in baking. The acidity helps to tenderize the gluten, making a softer crumb, and the fat content provides a moisture kick and adds richness.

You can substitute sour cream for plain greek yogurt - just be sure you get full fat.

How to Store Banana Bread

As I’ve mentioned, this recipe will give you a super moist loaf.

And it doesn’t usually last too long in my house, so I don’t need to worry about making it last.

But for those with more will power than me, you can store this in an airtight container or wrapped tightly with plastic wrap for a solid week.

Make sure you’ve let it cool completely before wrapping so it doesn’t “sweat,” which can make it go soggy.

Try to keep it in a cool place, too.

Can You Freeze Banana Bread?

Absolutely! Freeze away!

So long as you wrap the loaf completely - I’m talking multiple layers of plastic wrap - it should last anywhere from three months to a year.

Just be sure that it has fully cooled before wrapping and freezing.

To thaw, just pull it from the freezer the night before and leave it out on the counter.

It should be ready for breakfast.