Buttermilk Banana Bread

Banana bread sliced with the slices in front of the loaf.

This Buttermilk Banana Bread is the best way to use up browned bananas! Buttermilk and ripe bananas are the secret ingredients in this incredibly moist, tender quick bread, that bakes up perfect each time. This banana bread recipe makes two large loaf pans so it's perfect to share one or freeze.

Course bread, Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword banana bread with buttermilk, buttermilk banana bread, buttermilk banana bread recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 20

Servings slices

Calories 229kcal

Author Jessica - Together as Family

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons butter very softened
3 large eggs beaten
1½ cups buttermilk
4 large ripe, browned bananas (about 2 cups mashed)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray two 9x5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
In a small mixing bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Stir with a wire whisk to break up any clumps.
In a separate larger bowl, or use the bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter, beaten eggs, buttermilk, and mashed banana. Beat on medium speed with a hand mixer, until combined well.
* The batter will probably have small chunks of butter in it, and that's normal.
Add the flour mixture in two parts (half of it each time), mixing on low speed after each addition.
Mix on low speed, increase speed as needed, until the batter is combined and no flour streaks or pockets remain.
* It's important to no over-mix, but it's also important to mix it well enough so all the flour/dry mixture is incorporated well.
Cook for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the top center comes out clean or with moist crumbs on it.
* Cook time will vary. Make sure it's done before taking it out so it won't sink down in the center while cooling.
* To prevent over browning, loosely lay a piece of tin foil over the loaf pans for the last 20 minutes of the bake time.
Let the bread cool in the loaf pans for about 30 minutes. Remove bread and place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Or eat a piece warm with butter! So good!

Notes

Mini Loaf Pans : To make mini loafs of banana bread divide the batter between 7 mini loaf pans and cook for 25-35 minutes or until done.

Freezing & Storing : Store leftovers, at room temperature, in an air-tight container or inside a gallon Ziploc bag. To freeze, double wrap the cooled loaf in plastic wrap and then double wrap again in tin foil. Place it in the freezer for up to 1 month. Let thaw at room temperature, or the fridge, when ready to eat.

Tip : Banana bread is even better on day 2. I like to wrap the cooled loaf in tin foil and place it inside a gallon-sized Ziploc bag. I then leave it out at room temperature until the next day. The bread will be so soft, moist, and the flavor is even more concentrated than before.

Buttermilk : I don't love buttermilk substitutes so I don't use them, but do this if you want to substitute the buttermilk. Use a 2 cup measuring cup to do this so there is enough room. Add 1.5 tablespoons (equal to 4.5 teaspoons) into the measuring cup and fill the remaining with milk until it reaches the 1.5 cup line. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes to sour. I suggest using a higher fat milk for this like 2% of whole milk.

Beaten Eggs : This means that you need to crack the eggs into a small separate bowl and stir with a fork. Then add the beaten mixture into the bowl.

Butter : This recipe has been tested with salted butter. If using unsalted butter you may want to add 1/4 teaspoon additional salt, depending on preference. The key is to make sure the butter is well softened before adding it in so it's easier to mix into the wet ingredients. The easiest way to do this is to leave the butter out at room temperature overnight.

Salt : Recipe has been tested and made with regular table salt.

Bake Time : This time can vary so watch your bread starting at the 50 minute mark. The easiest way to tell if it's done is to insert a toothpick into the top center of the bread. You want it to come out dry or with moist crumbs on it, not wet batter.

Nutrition