Amazing Banana Bread (no nuts)
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This easy Banana Bread recipe without nuts is moist, fluffy, and made with simple ingredients you likely already have on hand. It’s perfect for breakfast, a quick snack, or an easy dessert, and you can have a homemade loaf ready without much fuss. If you love nuts in your banana bread, try my BEST Banana Nut Bread instead!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love how easy this Banana Bread is to make. Everything comes together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients. Overripe bananas and sour cream keep every slice soft, moist, and full of banana flavor. Enjoy it as is, or stir in chocolate chips or chopped nuts to make it your own.
If you aren’t a banana fan, don’t worry, I have more yummy bread recipes to share. Check these out: Soft Zucchini Bread Recipe, Lemon Poppy Seed Bread, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, and Homemade Bread Recipe.
Ingredient Notes for Banana Bread without Nuts
This banana bread comes together with simple ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen. Here’s a quick look at what each one brings to the loaf.
- Vegetable oil or coconut oil – Keeps the banana bread moist and tender.
- Butter, softened – Adds rich, buttery flavor to every slice.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the bread and helps give it a lightly golden crust.
- Overripe bananas, mashed – The key to that classic banana flavor and natural sweetness.
- Eggs – Help hold everything together and give the loaf structure.
- Vanilla extract – Adds a little extra flavor and brings out the sweetness of the bananas.
- All-purpose flour – Provides the base and structure for the bread.
- Baking soda and salt – Help the bread rise while balancing and enhancing the flavors.
- Sour cream – Adds extra moisture for a soft, tender crumb.
How to Make Banana Bread
For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card down below. Here are my step-by-step directions for this easy banana bread recipe:
Step 1: Preheat Oven + Prep Loaf Pans
Preheat oven to 325° F. Grease two light-colored loaf pans (8 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ x 2 3/4” high) with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
Step 2: Make Banana Bread Batter
In a large bowl, mix oil, butter, and sugar until well combined. Stir in eggs, vanilla extract, and banana until smooth.
Gently stir in dry ingredients and sour cream until a uniform batter has formed. Scrape sides to ensure no lumps are present.
Step 3: Bake
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the lower half of the oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack (I use one here because it lets air circulate underneath so the cake cools evenly and doesn’t get soggy on the bottom). Slice and serve.
Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes in the lower half of the oven or until completely baked and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool at least 15 minutes before removing from pan. Slice and serve.
A few basic kitchen tools make this easy to mix, shape, and bake:
- Loaf pans – Use good-quality loaf pans for even baking and nicely shaped banana bread loaves.
- Mixing bowls – A lightweight set makes it easy to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately without making prep feel messy.
- Stand mixer or hand mixer – A mixer helps combine the ingredients quickly and gives you a smooth, well-mixed batter.
- Measuring cups and spoons – Accurate measurements help keep the texture and flavor of your banana bread just right.
Tips for Success
A few simple tips can help you get soft, moist banana bread with a tender crumb and plenty of banana flavor every time.
- Use very ripe bananas. The more brown spots on the peel, the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be. They also mash more easily, which helps keep the batter moist.
- Measure the mashed bananas. Banana sizes vary, so measuring the mashed fruit helps keep the wet-to-dry ingredient ratio balanced.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can develop too much gluten and leave your banana bread dense instead of soft.
- Divide the batter evenly. If you’re baking two loaves, use a kitchen scale to divide the batter between the loaf pans for even-sized loaves that finish baking at the same time.
- Let the loaves cool before slicing. The bread continues to set as it cools, so giving it time to rest makes it easier to slice without crumbling.
- Check for doneness in the center. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf rather than near the edges. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.99
What to Serve With Banana Bread
Banana bread is great on its own, but it also pairs well with a few simple breakfast favorites. Here are some easy recipes to serve alongside a warm slice:
- Bacon and Egg Cups – These savory egg cups add a hearty option to balance the sweetness of banana bread.
- Overnight Oats – A simple make-ahead breakfast that pairs nicely with a slice of banana bread for a filling morning meal.
- Blueberry Muffins – Serve these alongside banana bread for a breakfast spread with plenty of fresh berry flavor.
- Eggs Benedict Recipe For Two – Perfect for a weekend brunch when you want to pair sweet banana bread with something savory and satisfying.
- English Muffin – Toast them with butter or your favorite spread for an easy addition to a banana bread breakfast.
Storage + Make Ahead Directions
This recipe makes two loaves, so I bet you’re gonna have some leftovers, and that’s okay! The best place to store your banana bread is wrapped/covered at room temperature. This keeps the bread soft (as opposed to dried out in the fridge) for up to four days! After this amount of time, you might experience the loaf going a bit dry. You can either toast some slices and enjoy it that way or discard.
You can also freeze this banana bread recipe to keep it fresh for even longer!
To freeze: simply wrap your cooled loaf in plastic wrap or foil. Then place it into a plastic freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible before sealing. This method keeps your bread fresh for up to four months!
To thaw: unwrap your bread loaf and leave on the counter for about four hours. Then slice and enjoy! So why not make a double batch and freeze a couple of loaves for a rainy day?
FAQs About Banana Bread
Sour cream is the key ingredient to amazing banana bread. The sour cream brings its own slightly tangy flavor but doesn’t overpower the banana.
There are a few methods to get ripe bananas.
Place somewhere Warm – Try placing them in a warm place in your kitchen, like by a sunny window or on top of your fridge.
Paper Bag Method – Place bananas in a paper bag, folding the top of the bag down. The bag will trap the ethylene (what ripens fruit) and help the ripening process along faster. If you have an avocado, apple, pear or apricot, throw one of those in the bag too. They also release ethylene and will help speed up the ripening process.
Bake Them in the Oven -This method is best if you’re in a pinch and need to ripen them the same day. Place separated bananas (leave the peel on) on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 300° F for 15-20 minutes, until they turn black, turning them over halfway through.
Yes, the best bananas for banana bread are ones that are brown with still some yellow on them, or even completely brown/black bananas. There really isn’t a banana that is “too ripe” to make banana bread with.
Both baking powder and baking soda are used as leavening agents – either one will make your bread rise. If you added baking powder instead of baking soda, you’ll need to triple the amount of baking powder to fix the mistake. For this recipe, it calls for 2 teaspoons of baking soda. You would need 6 teaspoons of baking powder to get similar results.
Banana Bread Variations
Want to tweak this favorite banana bread recipe? Try these:
- Swap sour cream for Greek yogurt for a tangy twist.
- Use brown sugar instead of white for a richer flavor.
- Add a handful of chocolate chips or swirl in peanut butter for a fun variation.
- Make it vegan by using flax eggs and replacing butter with olive oil.
More Banana Bread Recipes to Try!
This simple banana bread recipe is one of those sweet bread recipes you’ll come back to time and time again. It’s easy, delicious, and totally foolproof. Make it once, and you’ll understand why it’s one of my most popular recipes! Printable recipe card is below. Have a good day, friends 🙂
Banana Bread (no nuts)
Moist, sweet and downright amazing, this is a simple Banana Bread Recipe that is perfect for breakfast, as a snack or even as a dessert.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 very ripe bananas mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Nutrition
Calories: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 3gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 233mgPotassium: 107mgFiber: 1gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 206IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
