Best Ever Banana Bread

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This is my family's favorite banana bread recipe. It turn out great every time! I am always surprised at how fluffy it is compared to other banana breads. Another bonus is that it is so easy to make that even my 4 year old son can do it. I helped him make a few mini loaves to give his teachers as a end of the year thank you. He was so excited to give them something he made and he made sure he told them that!

What You Need: 

• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 medium-large very ripe bananas (1 cup mashed)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Bread pans
• 3 bowls (or 2 bowls and a blender) - 1 of them large for mixing

*Preheat oven to 325º

Directions:

**The trick to great banana bread is, the less stirring you do once you add the wet and dry ingredients together, the lighter and fluffier the bread will be!

Step 1: Add peeled bananas and sour cream together. I like to use the blender to do this, but you can mash them together in separate bowl, too. I also don't wait for the frozen bananas to defrost completely before opening them. I find it less messy to set the bananas out for 20 minutes (or run under cool water for a few minutes) and then slice the banana peel a few times (the long way). The peel comes off nice and easy and the banana is still whole. Then I set the banana aside to finish thawing while I mix everything else.

Step 2: In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir together and set aside.

Step 3:  In the large bowl cream the butter and gradually add the sugar. Add one egg at a time and beat well after adding each egg. Add the vanilla and mix.

Step 4:  Add 1/3 dry mixture and 1/3 banana mixture to the large bowl. Mix well, but not too much! (Remember the trick to great banana bread. See the beginning of instructions above). Add half of the remaining dry mixture and 1/2 of the remaining banana mixture. Mix well, again. Then add the last of the dry and banana mixture and mix. If using the mixer, I do quick starts to the mixer until I do not see any more dry mixture. It should mix pretty easy.

Yes, and we must not forget about the tasting! This is his favorite part!

Step 5: Pour batter into well greased bread pans. Add mix-ins, if wanted and stir them in lightly. We love to bake them in mini loaf pans for gifting and our favorite mix-ins are chocolate chips and/or craisins.

Step 6: Bake in oven. For large bread pans around 70-75 minutes (or until you can stick a fork in it and it comes out clean). For mini bread pans, it will be around 50-55 minutes depending on your oven (or until the fork trick!). Times may vary with ovens and elevation. Once removed from oven, let bread cool 20 minutes before removing it from the pan. I find using a butter knife and going around the edge of the pan (between the bread and the pan), helps the bread come out all in one piece.

Enjoy!

P.S. I know I'm missing a picture of the bread. I meant to take one, but I guess it never happened. I will have to snag one from the next batch we make and add it later. So, sorry! But just think "yummy good!"

I found this recipe while at a dentist appointment and flipping through a Family Fun magazine. My dentist was so nice that he made a copy of the recipe for me. What a great find!