Go Back

Brown Sugar Banana Nut Bread

Brown sugar banana nut bread with a moist quick-bread crumb, cinnamon warmth, and caramel-like flavor from packed light brown sugar. Mixed just until combined and baked in a loaf pan, it’s studded with walnuts and topped with optional coarse brown sugar.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Flour mixture
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Mix-ins and topping
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 2 tbsp coarse brown sugar (optional, for topping)

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Keep the rack centered so the loaf bakes evenly, with a stable browning finish.
  2. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Use the parchment overhang for easy lift-out after baking.
Mix the dry ingredients
  1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stop when the mixture is uniform in color with no visible clumps.
Mix the wet ingredients
  1. Beat the softened unsalted butter and packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy. The mixture should look paler and slightly expanded before adding eggs.
  2. Beat in the large eggs one at a time. Mix just until each egg disappears to keep the batter smooth.
  3. Add the vanilla extract, mashed ripe bananas, and sour cream. Mix until fully incorporated, with no streaks remaining.
Combine and bake
  1. Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Look for a few small flour streaks at most, then stop to avoid toughness.
  2. Fold in the chopped walnuts. Distribute them evenly so every slice has crunch.
  3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with coarse brown sugar if desired. Spread the top level for an even bake.
  4. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. A deep golden top and set center are your visual cues.
Cool and serve
  1. Cool for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The loaf should hold its shape while still warm.
  2. Slice and serve warm, optionally with butter or honey. The crumb is best when the loaf is still slightly warm.

Notes

For the most tender crumb, fold the dry ingredients in just until no dry pockets remain, then fold in walnuts at the end. Store wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze wrapped slices up to 2 months. If you want a lighter option, swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt with a similar tang and moisture.