This sour cream banana bread is extra soft, moist, and full of flavor thanks to one simple ingredient. It’s an easy recipe and the perfect way to use up overripe bananas.

Three slices of sour cream banana bread stacked on parchment with bananas nearby.

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Moist and Tender Sour Cream Banana Bread

This recipe for sour cream banana bread is a variation of my easy banana bread recipe, packed with sweet banana flavor and the option of customizing it with mix-ins.

Made with pantry staples in just over an hour, this is the kind of quick bread that works great for breakfast, brunch, snack, and dessert! It freezes well, so if you’ve got the ingredients, I always say bake two and freeze one.

Why You’ll Love Banana Bread with Sour Cream

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients for sour cream banana bread including ripe bananas, flour, sugar, butter, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla on a white countertop.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Wet ingredients: Butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, extract, and sour cream. Use whichever sour cream you prefer. I prefer full-fat.
  • Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. We’re using both baking soda and baking powder for softness. The baking soda does a great job of working with the acid in the sour cream.
  • Ripe bananas: The riper they are, the sweeter the banana bread with sour cream will be!
  • Optional: Chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture.

How to Make Sour Cream Banana Bread

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and airy, and then mix in the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Fold in the mashed bananas.

In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together, and then slowly add the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and stir to combine. Fold in any mix-ins, if using.

Mixing butter and sugar as the first step for banana sour cream bread.
Sour cream banana bread batter mixed in a glass bowl.

Transfer the banana bread and sour cream batter to a your prepared loaf pan and bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 65-70 minutes until lightly browned.

Sour cream banana bread batter divided into two loaf pans.
Banana sour cream bread baked until golden and cooling in loaf pans.

Let the bread cool for 10-12 minutes before removing it from the pan to finish cooling on a wire rack. Don’t slice it while it’s still very warm, otherwise it’ll fall apart. Enjoy!

End of a sour cream banana bread loaf sliced showing a moist, tender crumb.

Recipe Tips

  • Make 2 loaves. Use 2 8-4 loaf pans and bake for just 55 minutes.
  • Top quickly browning. If the top is browning too fast, tent with foil.
  • Use ripe bananas. The kind with the black spots on the skin!
  • Avoid overmixing. Mix the batter just until combined or you’ll lose some of the tenderness of the crumb.
  • Test for doneness. Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. It should come out clean when it’s ready!
Sliced sour cream banana bread loaf on parchment paper with ripe bananas on the side.

More banana bread recipes to try include cranberry banana bread, double chocolate banana bread and cinnamon roll banana read

More Banana Bread Recipes

Three slices of sour cream banana bread stacked on parchment with bananas nearby.

Sour Cream Banana Bread

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 32
This sour cream banana bread is extra soft, moist, and full of flavor thanks to one simple ingredient. It’s an easy recipe and the perfect way to use up overripe bananas.
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Ingredients 

  • ½ cup (8 Tablespoons) butter , softened
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup ripe bananas , mashed (3 medium brown bananas)

Optional: 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 8×4-inch or 1 9×5-inch loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray and if desired line with parchment paper.
  • Wet ingredients. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. Then mix in eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Fold in 1 cup mashed bananas.
  • Dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and stir until combined. Fold in nuts if using.
  • Bake. Pour batter into 2 (8×4") loaf pans and bake for 55 minutes. If using a 9×5" pan, you can put the batter into one pan, but you will need to cook 10-15 minutes longer. You want the bread to be lightly browned. If it's browning too fast, cover lightly with foil. Remove from oven once a toothpick comes clean.
  • Cool. Once the bread has slightly cooled for 10-12 minutes, remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.

Notes

To make muffins: Pour batter into muffin tins. This recipe makes 24 regular-sized muffins. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until lightly golden and toothpick comes out clean. 
To make small loaves: This mixture will fill 4 small loaf pans. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until lightly golden brown and toothpick comes out clean.
Store: Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days at room temperature or  5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze whole or in slices up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 5g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 22mg, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 52mg, Fiber: 0.3g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 155IU, Vitamin C: 0.5mg, Calcium: 17mg, Iron: 0.4mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Substitutions and Variations

  • Add your favorite mix-ins. This could be chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, raisins, or blueberries.
  • Sprinkle cinnamon, about 1/2 teaspoon into the batter for extra warmth or top with my crumble topping before baking!
  • Make smaller loaves. Pour batter into 4 small loaf pans and bake for 35-45 minutes until lightly golden. Use the toothpick to check if they’re done.
  • Make muffins. This sour cream banana bread recipe makes enough batter for 24 regular-sized muffins. Bake for 20-25 minutes.