Buttermilk Banana Bread

Enjoy the irresistible delight of this Buttermilk Banana Bread recipe. It boasts an irresistibly moist crumb, gently infused with the warmth of cinnamon. This is "The best banana bread recipe" that leaves everyone craving more.

this recipe

Jump to:

• Why you'll love this banana bread recipe
• More Banana Recipes
• How Bananas and Buttermilk Create a Moist Cake
• Ingredients Notes
• Recipe Variations
• How to Rippen bananas 
• How to make ultra-moist banana bread
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and freezing
• Tips for this recipe
• FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
• You will also love
• Buttermilk Banana bread

Why you'll love this banana bread recipe

Discover the ultimate Buttermilk Banana Bread recipe with the delightful fusion of ripe bananas, tangy buttermilk, and warm cinnamon flavors perfect for breakfast or anytime you need a comforting treat.

When I see my bananas ripening a bit too quickly, I can already imagine that tender, moist crumb and the blend of flavors that makes banana bread so unique.

Banana and buttermilk create a magical synergy in banana bread recipes. The bananas contribute their natural sweetness and a luscious, creamy texture, while the buttermilk adds a subtle tanginess and acidity. Together, they result in a moist, flavorful banana bread that's simply irresistible.

• An easy and classic banana bread recipe that can be adapted to your preferences (see recipe variations).
• A moist texture and a crisp crust provided by the butter that contrasts with the moistness in this banana bread recipe.
• A perfect pairing of just the right amount of banana and buttermilk (see recipe card for possible substitutions).

More Banana Recipes

How Bananas and Buttermilk Create a Moist Cake

Bananas are well-known for providing a soft, creamy texture, a delightful natural flavor, and natural sweetness. However, their high moisture content also contributes to keeping a moist texture after baking.

Buttermilk, with its high acidity, plays a significant role by interacting with the other ingredients, especially baking soda, to achieve a soft and airy texture and enhance the cake's moistness.

Overall, the combination of moisture, natural sugars, acidity, and texture from bananas and buttermilk contributes to a cake that is not only moist but also flavorful and delightful to eat. This is why recipes that include these 2 ingredients often result in a cake with a wonderful, moist crumb.

Ingredients Notes

*You will find all quantities and complete instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this page

• Butter: I prefer butter to oil in banana bread recipes, as unsalted butter adds a delicious crumb and an incredible crust.
• Sugars: A mixture of white granulated sugar and flavored sugar such as brown sugar or cane sugar.
• Eggs: At room temperature.
• Milk: Use buttermilk if possible, see recipe notes to replace with milk, yogurt or sour cream.
• Banana: Overripe bananas if possible, the riper they are, the sweeter they taste. Do not use completely very ripe bananas completely black. If your bananas are not completely ripe, you can still make the recipe.
• Flour: All-purpose wheat flour, which can be replaced by wholemeal or gluten-free flour. 
• Baking soda: 1 teaspoon of baking soda or 1 packet of baking powder.
• Salt and vanilla: Indispensable for flavor, pure vanilla extract and table salt to bring out all the flavors.
• Cinnamon: A pinch of ground cinnamon to flavor the banana bread, which you can replace with a little pumpkin pie spice.

Recipe Variations

• Nuts: chopped pecans, chopped walnuts like in this banana walnut cake recipe crunchy nut version. 
• Dried fruits: raisins, dried cranberries. 
• Chocolate: add mini chocolate chips or small pieces of dark chocolate.
• Lemon: a small amount of fresh lemon juice for preservation.
• Frosting: a cream cheese frosting like in my cinnamon rolls recipe,

How to Rippen bananas 

It has a much softer texture, it is easier to mash and it is much sweeter in taste so we always advise using ripe bananas when they start to get a few brown spots.

But if you don't have ripe bananas at home and you still have a craving for banana bread, there are 2 methods to help ripen bananas faster.

1 - Quickly method: Heat your bananas in the oven at 248°F / 120°C for about 20 minutes. 

2 - In one day: If you usually keep your bananas in the fridge, then take them out and place them in a plastic bag after a day they will ripen faster. 

How to make ultra-moist banana bread

Mash bananas

• Place in a medium bowl or a large plate the bananas cut in pieces.
• Crush them into a puree with a fork or a potato press until you get a mixture with some chunks left.

Cream butter and sugars

• In a separate bowl, place softened butter cut into pieces with granulated sugar and brown sugar.
• Using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed for at least 2 minutes until creamy and smooth.

Add eggs, bananas and buttermilk

• Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix again with an electric mixer to incorporate them.
• Add buttermilk and mashed bananas and mix until well blended.

Add dry ingredients

• Add flour, baking soda salt and ground cinnamon (optional).
• And mix this time with a soft spatula to incorporate them and just enough to have a homogeneous cake mixture.

Baking

• Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C and line a 10 inch/ 25 cm long loaf pan with parchment paper or grease with butter or a cooking spray.
• Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface with the back of a tablespoon or an angled spatula.
• Bake for 45 - 55 minutes until golden brown on top.
• Remove from the oven and let the buttermilk banana bread cool in the loaf pan before carefully removing it from the pan and letting it cool completely on a cooling rack.
• Cut your cake into 10 pieces and enjoy cold or a little warm.

Serving Suggestions

The buttermilk banana bread is delicious eaten on its own as its tender texture in the mouth but you can add a topping for more deliciousness:

• Nutella
• Peanut butter
• Salted butter caramel
• Banana slices
• Almond butter
• Biscoff butter
• Fruit jam, homemade raspberry compote, homemade strawberry compote, red fruit

Storage and freezing

At room temperature: You can store banana bread at room temperature for about 4-5 days in a storage box or covered with plastic wrap. Since it is very moist it should be kept in a cool place, you can also keep it up to 1 week in your refrigerator.

In the freezer: Cut your cake into slices and put them in a storage box. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Defrosting: Let your buttermilk banana bread come back to room temperature or use the defrost function of your microwave to go faster.

Tips for this recipe

• Use rip bananas: If your bananas are not very ripe, you can warm them up slightly in the microwave to soften them a bit.
• Weigh your ingredients with a scale. Cups don't always give the right measurements, especially for dry ingredients such as flour.
• Use buttermilk or substitute. The acidity of the buttermilk is the key to a moist, tender cake, so follow the instructions in the recipe notes.
• Be careful not to overcook. Overcooking will dry out the banana bread and cause it to lose its moist texture.

FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

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