Buttermilk Banana Bread
This Buttermilk Banana Bread is a classic, dense, and moist quick bread using buttermilk for a delicious change of pace.
Do you ever buy a quart of buttermilk for one recipe, then have loads left over that you have no idea how to utilize? Yes, me, too. This Banana Bread Recipe and my Corn Muffins are two quick bread recipes that will help decrease your supply and create a delicious treat!
Why You Must Make
I hadn’t made banana bread in a long time. My kids all ate bananas as toddlers, but when that stage was through, I only bought them for baking. I had a legitimate excuse for not liking bananas.
My sisters and I had to choke down banana-flavored liquid Dramamine before our cross-country vacations through the plains and over the Rocky Mountains in an unairconditioned station wagon. The nausea from riding in the back of that station wagon on winding roads through a number of mountain passes, and the nasty taste of the Dramamine, resulted in my siblings and me boycotting banana anything for years.
- It was a bit of a shock when my oldest asked if I could make banana bread. What? Where did this request come from? I picked up bananas the next day and left them to ripen on the kitchen counter.
- It’s also perfect to make when you have leftover buttermilk from another recipe.
- PRO-Tip: The acid in the buttermilk helps break some of the gluten bonds in the batter. This ensures a tender loaf.
- It’s a great way to use up those overripe bananas that nobody wants to eat. PRO-Tip: I put those bananas in a Ziploc bag in the freezer for the next time I have a craving for banana bread or banana cake.
Ingredient Notes
- Kitchen Staples – Sugar, Flour, Baking Soda, Salt
- Real Vanilla Extract (not artificially flavored; affiliate link)
- Butter – I used salted, at room temperature
- Ripe Bananas – For maximum flavor, their peels should have some brown spots. Peel and mash.
- Eggs – Use large eggs. If you plan ahead, have them at room temperature for easy incorporation into the batter.
- Buttermilk – In a pinch, you can make a buttermilk substitute with milk and either lemon juice or vinegar. See tips below for details. PRO-Tip: The acidic nature of buttermilk helps to loosen the gluten strands in the flour, which results in a more tender loaf.
- Baking Powder (affiliate link) – Use this and baking soda to leaven this bread. Baking powder has a shorter shelf life and isn’t used as often, so it often expires before you can use it all. PRO-Tip: To test its potency, put a spoonful into some hot water. If the baking powder is active, it will bubble vigorously. If it doesn’t, don’t start this recipe until you purchase a new tin.
- Optional Topping – Butter, Dark Brown Sugar, Milk, and Chopped Pecans (toast first to bring out their essential oils AKA flavor, then chop).
How to Make
Recipe Tips
That request had me hooked again! The sweet, tender loaf was perfect for breakfasts and snacks. Here are a few tips for making banana bread, and also a few for baking up quick breads in general.
- Use very ripe bananas for this recipe. The skin should be covered with dark speckles and there should be an obvious banana aroma.
- PRO-Tip: You can also ripen bananas by roasting them when you’re in a pinch. Place unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined cookie sheet and roast at 300°F for 15-30 minutes.
- Did you know you can freeze ripe bananas to use later? If you just have one or two, but not enough to make a full recipe, peel them, then toss them in a Ziploc freezer bag, remove any excess air, and freeze until you have enough to complete the recipe.
- To use your frozen bananas in banana bread, defrost first, mash a bit if needed, and mix into the batter as your recipe directs.
- PRO-Tip: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by putting 1 tablespoon of either vinegar or lemon juice into a 1-cup Pyrex Measuring Cup (affiliate link). Fill the cup with 2% or whole milk to the 1-cup mark and let sit for a few minutes to allow the milk to thicken and curdle slightly. You will only need ¼ cup for this recipe.
- PRO-Tip: Make sure not to over-mix your batter. When you add the dry ingredients, they should be mixed just until combined. If you must use a mixer, mix on the lowest speed only until the flour is incorporated, or tunnels will form throughout the loaf.
- PRO-Tip: Baking times will vary depending on your oven and even the ripeness of your bananas. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the loaf to check for doneness (I insert a toothpick into the cracks along the top of the loaf at a few spots). If it comes out clean, the loaf is done. If not, bake for a few more minutes and recheck.
- Let your banana loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before removing it to a cooling rack to finish cooling. This first cooling period in the pan allows the exterior to firm up a bit before you release it. I like to line the bottom of my pans with a rectangle of parchment so the bottom does not stick. I spray the top of the parchment with Non-Stick Cooking Spray (affiliate link), like Pam, for easy removal.
- Cool to room temperature before slicing.
The Verdict
When those bananas became perfectly ripe, I knew it was time to bake the requested loaf of banana bread. I opened one of my recipe binders, and right on top was a sheet I had printed off the Internet in 2006 for “Indescribably Delicious Banana Bread.” I couldn’t resist trying a recipe with a name like that. Plus, it contained buttermilk, which, like sour cream, helps to tenderize baked goods.
It also had a brown sugar nut glaze, but I didn’t guild the lily this time. I will make that version for my girlfriends, who aren’t nut-phobic like my family.
The resulting bread was perfect. It had a lovely crumb and was not too dense and incredibly moist, just the way a quick bread should be. After a lengthy hiatus from all things banana, I think I found a new favorite banana bread recipe.
If you love nuts in your banana bread, try my Classic Walnut Banana Bread. I also have a marvelous Cinnamon-Topped Banana Bread and a Chocolate Chip Toffee Banana Bread for you to check out. Other favorite quick bread recipes include my Mini Pumpkin Breads, Southern Peach Bread, and Classic Zucchini Bread.
More Banana Recipes You’ll Love:
This Sugar Crusted Zucchini Bread is another favorite quick bread recipe, but you may also enjoy these other banana recipes:
- Bananas Foster is perfect for Mardi Gras, or anytime you want a quick, impressive dessert.
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake Blondies from Grandbaby Cakes is easier than making pudding or pie, but still awfully tasty!
- Classic Hummingbird Cake with Coconut is a super-rich and dreamy layer cake. Perfect for Easter or spring entertaining.
- Pineapple Banana Bread from The View from Great Island is a delicious twist on the classic banana bread!
- Seed-Topped Whole Wheat Banana Bread is a healthier version of banana bread that’s still hard to resist!
- Old-Fashioned Southern Banana Pudding is another fun banana dessert to try!
This recipe was first shared in June 2011. Photos and text were updated in 2019 & 2025.
Buttermilk Banana Bread
A classic moist, tender banana bread with a buttermilk twist.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it's still active, test by placing a spoonful in hot water. If it's fresh, it will bubble vigorously, if it doesn't replace before starting this recipe).
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Optional Topping:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 10 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 cup chopped pecans, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour one 9 x 5 loaf pan.
- Cream butter and sugar with a hand mixer for 2 minutes. Add bananas, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, and mix to combine. Whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, and salt in a clean bowl. Add to the banana mixture. Mix until just combined (I like using a wooden spoon or spatula for this step), as quick breads should not be beaten or over-mixed.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pans and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool before slicing.
- To make the optional topping, melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the sugar and milk.
- Cook until very syrupy, watching carefully and stirring, for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add chopped pecans.
- Pour the topping over the bread and spread it across the top. Place under broiler, watching very carefully, until brown and bubbly.
Notes
Adapted from The White Oak Restaurant on Buffalo Lake.
Make sure your baking powder is still fresh before starting this recipe. Check the FAQs in the post on how to test its freshness. If it's old, the bread will not rise properly.
Makes 1 large loaf.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 332Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 174mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
Thatskinnychickcanbake.com occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although thatskinnychickcanbake.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe. Also, many recipes on thatskinnychickcanbake.com recommend toppings, which may or may not be listed as optional and nutritional information for these added toppings is not listed. Other factors may change the nutritional information such as when the salt amount is listed “to taste,” it is not calculated into the recipe as the amount will vary. Also, different online calculators can provide different results. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information obtained is accurate.
74 Comments on “Buttermilk Banana Bread”
When the kids were home they ate lots of bananas, especially the boys. I think the girls would be a big fan of banana bread, count me in that group as well.
Such a perfect banana bread, I’d love a slice with my coffee!
I remember those unaircondtioned car rides. And my mom smoked. Instead of bananas I vowed never to smoke! But this banana bread sounds yummy!
I think my hubby will love this! xoxo
I am a huge fan of banana bread and with buttermilk, it’s even yummier! I always do the lemon juice to milk trick now instead of buying buttermilk. I do think you can freeze buttermilk too, 1 cup portion ziplock bags.
Buttermilk in your banana bread. That’s brilliant. We have a few bananas that either need to be put into bread or consumed immediately so this could not have had better timing. Gorgeous clicks Liz! Saved to our favorite boards.
Banana bread? Yes, please. Such good stuff. Worth buying extra bananas just so some get soft enough for bread. 🙂
Banana bread is my all time favourite so I am definitely adding this recipe to my rotation.
Banana bread is among my favorite foods. 🙂
Delicious looking banana bread…as I always have extra banana this recipe is a keeper…thanks for the recipe Liz. Enjoy your week!
I never get tired of banana bread, neither baking nor eating. And I keep changing the permutation combinations of additives to keep the novelty factor for family going.
I bet the sharp buttermilk works so well with the sweet bananas, this looks great.
What is it about buttermilk that makes quick breads, pancakes and biscuits taste SO GOOD! Your banana bread is a winner!