Banana Bread

It figures that after the year we’ve all had, the silver lining out of the kitchen is that we’ve FINALLY discovered our family’s go-to banana bread recipe. This one is courtesy of Joanne Chang of Flour Bakery & Cafe. 

It has the perfect amount of caramelized sweetness. It’s banana forward without being gummy. And it has the most delicious gooey top crust, making it actually taste better after sitting on the counter for 1-2 days. 

A Generational Search 

Banana Bread is one of those simple recipes that nevertheless eludes perfection. Over the years, we could never nail down the right one.

When Sarah and I were kids, the Joy of Cooking banana bread recipe was the old stand-by. Over the years, I had a dalliance with a vegan version. There have been many debates over the merits of sour cream vs. Greek yogurt, and on and on and on. 

My dad, Bill, often took it upon himself to experiment with banana bread, as was the case with his search for the perfect pancake (see: buckwheat pancakes, peach pancakes, apple cider pancakes, and blueberry pancakes). Yet, it was never quite right. 

So, with all our eyes turning toward homemade banana bread recipes last year, it was time to get serious about nailing this one down. 

A Banana Bread PSA 

I stumbled upon this recipe after getting a copy of Joanne Chang’s Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston’s Flour Bakery + Cafe. I’m late to the party, I know. 

I immediately tried out the famous banana bread recipe, and finally declared my search over. It’s that good.   

The sugar and egg mixture is whipped into a fluffy, pale yellow frenzy, and the small amount of sour cream makes it rich, but not overwhelmingly so. It’s perfect for breakfast slathered with butter alongside a strong cup of coffee, or for dessert with a cup of tea. 

As we always say with the seemingly random baking recipes around here, we’re posting this for our own record. For when we wake up on the weekends with a hankering for banana bread. 

We post them for us, and in the hopes that your search for the perfect baked goods may also come to a happy end. (See also, Chocolate Cake: A PSA.) 

When Your Sister Is Holding Out On You

I personally thought that I had hit the motherlode with this discovery, so imagine my surprise when my sister told me—very nonchalantly—that this has ALWAYS been her go-to recipe for banana bread.

The betrayal!

Yet, I will openly admit to the internet that I never thought any of her loaves were all that special. Delicious and serviceable yes, but not memorable. 

The reason? All these years, she’s been cutting the sugar! We’re generally a sugar-reducing family, as we have a more Chinese palate (partial to less sweetness).

That said, I truly think that the amount of sugar called for—1 cup plus 2 tablespoons—is exactly right. 

A Few Notes on Adjustments 

I’m no banana bread purist. Like most folks, I’m always tempted by the allure of chocolate, and maybe a handful of walnuts if I’m feeling wholesome.

If you find yourself wondering how you can jazz up a classic loaf of banana bread, here’s our guide, tested with this recipe! 

• Our go-to add-ins:
  • ½-¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans 
  • ½-¾ cup bittersweet chocolate chunks or chocolate chips (generally speaking, shards of chopped chocolate/chocolate chunks are infinitely better than chips) 
  • ¼ cup flaked coconut (sweet or unsweetened both work) 

We’d recommend sticking to a volume of no more than ¾ cup total for add-ins. For the coconut, do not add more than the ¼ cup recommended, as it can make the banana bread taste dry in larger quantities. 

For an extra cinnamon-y B-bread, double or triple the amount of cinnamon. This is particularly good when paired with walnuts. Full transparency, I discovered this the other day. On impulse, I decided to sprinkle in some extra cinnamon in addition to the 1/4 teaspoon called for and accidentally rained down a powdery deluge. It was delicious.

Banana Bread: Recipe Instructions

Position a rack in the center of your oven, and preheat to 325°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. 

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.  

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add the sugar and eggs.

Beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for about 5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. 

Here’s what it’ll look like after 5 minutes:

If using a hand mixer, beat for 8 minutes. If mixing by hand, whisk for about 10 minutes…or until your arm goes limp and you can’t be bothered anymore. 

After your sugar and eggs have been properly mixed, reduce the mixing speed to low and slowly drizzle in the oil in a thin stream. This should take about 1 minute. This part is hard if you’ve only got a hand whisk, but do your best! 

Add the bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed just until combined. 

You want very ripe bananas for this!

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the dry ingredients until just incorporated (and there are no visible flour streaks). Avoid overworking the batter. Then fold in any add-ins (no more than ¾ cup total), if using. 

Pour into the loaf pan, and pop it in the center of the oven.

Bake for 60-75 minutes, until it’s a deep golden brown and the center springs back when you press it. 

Cool for at least 30 minutes. 

This banana bread is great warm with butter, but in our opinion, it’s even better the next day. Cover, and let it sit on the counter overnight. We have a loaf pan that comes with a lid, so we just put that on. A cake plate with a cover also works well.