Banana bread is a classic recipe that’s been around for ages but adding buttermilk to the batter will produce a softer, airier, and richer loaf. This quick and easy recipe is easy to whip up and is not only impressive - it is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack!
For my whole life, I've almost exclusively made Martha Stewart's Banana Bread Recipe. Banana Bread made with sour cream has a sourness that is really good and the recipe is so reliable. This recipe using buttermilk is just as good - if not better and it uses more bananas and less sugar. You still get the subtle sourness from the buttermilk but the bread is lighter and fluffier.
This buttermilk banana bread is a quick and easy recipe that makes for a delicious breakfast or afternoon snack. If you don't have any buttermilk, you can try one of our other banana bread recipes - dark chocolate raspberry, chocolate chip banana bread, or blueberry banana muffins.
This recipe calls for just ten ingredients and can be made in just about an hour.
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🥘 Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Kosher Salt
- Chopped Walnuts (optional)
- Sugar
- Salted Butter
- Egg
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla Extract
- Mashed Ripe Bananas
Equipment
- A Mixing Bowl
- Measuring Spoons and Measuring Cups
- A Rubber Spatula or Spoon
- A Loaf Pan
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it.
- Mix together in a medium-sized bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and walnuts. Set the bowl aside.
- In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Then mix in the egg. Add in the buttermilk, vanilla, and mashed bananas.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing banana bread from the pan.
To Make the Cream Cheese Icing
- Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and spreadable.
- Place the icing in a cake decorating bag with an icing tip and drizzle over the completely cooled banana bread. Or, simply spread some on with a knife.
Recipe Variations
Here are five different ingredients that can be mixed into your banana bread to add a unique texture and some fun variations:
- Walnuts or Pecans (I recommend chopping the nuts up, but banana nut bread or banana nut muffins are always a hit at our house!)
- Marshmallow Cream/Fluff (it adds a delicate sweetness and an interesting creaminess - trust me, it's weird but good!)
- Dried Cranberries or Blueberries (they add tartness and a pop of color - it sounds weird, but they are really good!)
- Chocolate Chips (chocolate chips are always an excellent addition - chocolate chip banana bread is always a favorite at our house!)
- Coconut Flakes (coconut flakes add a nice crunch, especially if you toast them before mixing them into the batter - if you like coconut, this is a tasty and unique taste!)
How to Store Banana Bread
Once cooled, store the banana bread in an air-tight container. Buttermilk banana bread is really moist, so enjoy it within 3 - 5 days.
It is really good leftover if heated up in the oven, toaster, or air fryer with a little bit of butter spread on top.
Recipe Tips
The following tips will help you to make the perfect banana bread recipe:
- Use ripe bananas. You should use ripe bananas that are getting brown. If they are green at all, you definitely want to wait because they won't be sweet enough.
- Do not overmix. Do not over mix your ingredients, but make sure that they are just about combined - if you overmix the batter, it won't rise.
- Grease your pan. Use a loaf pan that is greased with butter or cooking spray and lined with parchment paper.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Banana nut muffins are delicious. Just spoon the batter into a paper-lined muffin tin and bake the muffins for about 30 minutes instead of 60 minutes. Another one of my favorite muffin recipes is a plain Buttermilk Muffin recipe from Southern Bytes. They are simple but so good!
Not only does buttermilk add a subtle tang to recipes - but it also tenderizes gluten and helps breads rise to make them soft and airy. (And delicious.)
If the middle of your banana bread isn't cooked, it needs more time in the oven. It seems like a long time, but most banana bread recipes call for at least 50 minutes in the oven to fully bake as the ingredients in the batter are pretty dense.
Related Recipes - More Bread & Muffins!
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Buttermilk Banana Bread with Cream Cheese Icing
Equipment
- loaf pan
- mixing bowls
Ingredients
Buttermilk Banana Bread
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts optional
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
Cream Cheese Icing
- 2 ounces cream cheese
- ⅛ cup butter
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar sifted
Instructions
To Make the Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Prepare a loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it.
- Mix together in a medium sized bowl the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and walnuts. Set the bowl aside.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Then mix in the egg. Add in the buttermilk, vanilla, and mashed bananas.¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup salted butter, 1 large egg, ½ cup buttermilk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, 3 ripe bananas
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Bake at 350°F for 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing banana bread from the pan.
To Make the Icing
- Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth and spreadable.2 ounces cream cheese, ⅛ cup butter, ¾ cup powdered sugar sifted, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place the icing in a cake decorating bag with an icing tip and drizzle over the completely cooled banana bread. Or, simply spread some on with a knife.
Notes
How to Store Banana Bread
Once cooled, store the banana bread in an air-tight container. Buttermilk banana bread is really moist, so enjoy it within 3 - 5 days. It is really good leftover if heated up in the oven, toaster, or air fryer with a little bit of butter spread on top.Recipe Tips
The following tips will help you to make the perfect banana bread recipe:- Use ripe bananas. You should use ripe bananas that are getting brown. If they are green at all, you definitely want to wait because they won't be sweet enough.
- Do not overmix. Do not over mix your ingredients, but make sure that they are just about combined - if you overmix the batter, it won't rise.
- Grease your pan. Use a loaf pan that is greased with butter or cooking spray and lined with parchment paper.
Laura
Very nice recipe. I didn’t use the frosting and it was still very tasty! Will definitely make again!