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Classic Southern Buttermilk Banana Bread

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This Classic Southern Buttermilk Banana Bread has a tender crumb, crackly top, and deep banana flavor. The secret is buttermilk, which makes it impossibly moist without being heavy.

Ingredients

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  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk (full-fat preferred)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (pure preferred)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt (fine sea salt or table salt)
  • ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
  • ½ cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or dark (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray. For extra insurance, line the pan with a strip of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
  2. In a medium bowl, mash the three ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth but with a few small chunks left. Set aside. You want about 1½ cups of mashed banana.
  3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Use a wooden spoon or a hand mixer.
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. The mixture might look a little curdled; don’t worry.
  5. Stir in the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until just combined. The batter will look a bit lumpy.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  7. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and fold gently with a spatula. Stir only until you no longer see streaks of flour. If adding pecans or chocolate chips, fold them in now.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Give the pan a gentle tap on the counter to release any air bubbles.
  9. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning too quickly (around the 40-minute mark), tent the pan loosely with aluminum foil.
  10. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

Use very ripe bananas (almost black) for best flavor. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid a tough bread. Room temperature ingredients help the batter come together smoothly. If you don’t have buttermilk, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to ⅓ cup regular milk and let sit for 5 minutes. To ripen bananas quickly, place them on a baking sheet in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until skins turn black. The bread can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: banana bread, buttermilk banana bread, southern banana bread, classic banana bread, easy banana bread, moist banana bread

Find it online: https://novanosh.com/classic-southern-buttermilk-banana-bread/