Amish Banana Bread
This Amish banana bread delivers an incredibly moist, tender loaf thanks to the addition of sour cream and a lower, slower baking method. Made with simple pantry staples and ultra-ripe bananas, it produces two gorgeous loaves topped with a delicate cinnamon sugar crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft, flavorful crumb inside. It stays fresh for up to a week and freezes beautifully — if it lasts that long.
Equipment
- 9x5-inch loaf pan - You will need 2 standard loaf pans
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium mixing bowl
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- Fork - For mashing bananas
- Cooling rack
- Toothpick - For testing doneness
- Parchment paper - For lining the loaf pans
- Oven thermometer - (optional) Recommended to verify oven is at correct 325°F temperature
- Serrated knife - For clean, even slices
Ingredients
Banana Bread Batter
- 4 large ripe bananas, mashed - about 1½ cups / 350g — the darker and spottier the peels, the better
- 2 cups granulated sugar - 400g
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened - 230g / 2 sticks — should be soft enough to leave an indent when pressed
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream - 120ml — can substitute plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract - 10ml — pure vanilla recommended
- 3 cups all-purpose flour - 360g — spoon into measuring cup and level off; do not scoop
- 2 tsp baking soda - 10g
- ½ tsp salt - 3g
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- ½ cup granulated sugar - 100g
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon - 6g
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease two 9x5-inch loaf pans with butter or cooking spray, line bottoms with parchment paper, and coat the bottom and sides of each pan with about 2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar topping mixture. Reserve the remaining topping.
- Peel the ripe bananas and mash thoroughly with a fork until mostly smooth with just a few small lumps — you should have about 1½ cups. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and 2 cups of granulated sugar together on medium speed for 3–4 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well for about 30 seconds after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Mix in the mashed bananas on low speed until just combined, then add the sour cream and mix until no white streaks remain — do not overmix at this stage.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined and lump-free.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in three additions, mixing on low speed after each just until no dry flour streaks remain — overmixing will make the bread tough.
- Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared loaf pans, filling each about two-thirds full, smooth the tops, and sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar evenly over each loaf.
- Bake on the center rack for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are deep golden brown — tent loosely with foil during the last 20 minutes if browning too quickly.
- Cool in pans on a rack for 15–20 minutes, then turn out, peel off parchment, and allow to cool completely for about 1 hour before slicing with a serrated knife.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas: The darker and more spotted the peels (even black), the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
- Room temperature matters: Bring eggs and sour cream to room temperature before mixing for better incorporation and even baking.
- Don't overmix: Once flour is added, mix only until just combined — overdeveloping the gluten creates dense, tough bread.
- Sour cream substitute: Plain Greek yogurt, regular yogurt, or buttermilk all work well in an equal 1:1 swap.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level off with a knife — scooping directly packs in too much flour.
- Oven temperature tip: Use an oven thermometer to confirm your oven runs at true 325°F, as many ovens are off by 25°F or more.
- Freeze overripe bananas: Stash brown bananas in the freezer in a zip bag until you have enough to bake — thaw and drain liquid before mashing.
- Storage: Wrap cooled loaves tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature up to 5 days, refrigerate up to 10 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
- Muffin variation: Fill lined muffin cups two-thirds full and bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes — yields about 24 standard muffins.
- Mix-in ideas: Fold in 1½ cups chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans, or 1 cup fresh blueberries just before pouring batter into pans.