Mom’s Buttermilk Banana Bread Recipe

Is it just me or has the world gone bananas for banana bread? During quarantine, I’ve been making this recipe on repeat and eating banana bread for breakfast more than I care to admit. If you’ve ever been curious to know how banana bread is made or you’re looking for the best recipe on the web, look no further.

This recipe has been passed down from my mom (thanks Mama Muffins) and with Mother’s Day approaching, I thought it was a perfect time to share it. Her tip baking banana bread with buttermilk is golden.

She also recommends a blend of two kinds of flour (whole wheat and all-purpose) which is key to achieve that bread texture. Whole wheat flour also adds more nutrients which one could argue makes this healthier. Maybe I’m just down a banana-shaped hole of wishful thinking.

Either way, I’ll continue to make this recipe and eat banana bread for breakfast and all-day snack for years to come. 

Is banana bread a cake?

While the difference between banana cake and banana bread is pretty fuzzy (similar to the difference between a muffin and a cupcake), the shape of the loaf and the lack of frosted top deem this to be a quick bread (meaning it rises without yeast). Instead of yeast, baking soda and powder help this batter to rise. By mixing the buttermilk and baking soda ahead of time, this activates the baking soda and will help produce a lighter, less dense banana bread.

To me, banana bread has a simply homey-ness to it. Since it’s a no-fuss recipe, it can be whipped up in a flash after work or on the weekend, but it’s not something you really see on special occasions. Yet, it makes those everyday moments when you’re eating it so much better.

Once you’ve made this recipe for your household, you might want to try making baked gifts for neighbors. This banana bread can easily be baked in disposable loaf pans like these for a super easy diy gift.  

Buttermilk Banana Bread Recipe

Course: BreakfastCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

8

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ cup whole wheat flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 egg

• 2-3 ripe bananas, mashed with a fork

• ⅓ cup oil (canola, vegetable, melted coconut, whatever kind you prefer)

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ½ cup buttermilk (or plain yogurt) 

• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease or line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a 2-cup liquid measure, combine buttermilk and baking soda. Set aside until it increases in volume.
• Meanwhile, mix flours, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg into oil, bananas and brown sugar. Add buttermilk/baking soda mixture into other liquid ingredients.
• Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into the wet. Mix until just combined. If desired add ⅓ cup nuts or mini chocolate chips.
• Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan. Transfer to pre-heated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean and the top of the loaf springs back when pressed.
• Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from pan (you shouldn’t have sticking if you grease/line with parchment) and let cool completely.
• Store in an air-tight container, in a resealable bag or in your preferred reusable wax wrap (I’ve loved Abeego for years) for a few days. If it lasts that long!

Notes

• Use room temperature ingredients, especially the egg and buttermilk. I like to pull my ingredients out of the fridge a few hours before I bake. 
• By mixing the buttermilk and baking soda together separately, this activates the baking soda so that the banana bread rises like a normal bread would with yeast.
•  If your banana bread collapses after baking it’s underbaked or even raw in the middle. It happens to the best of us. If your banana bread is not done in middle, or if you’re unsure if your banana bread is cooked in the middle, I like to stick a butter knife in the center of the loaf when I think it’s done. I find this method to be more accurate than a skewer which may not reach the bottom of the pan. 
• No whole wheat flour? No problem. Just substitute it with all-purpose. But definitely try the recipe again another time with the whole wheat flour.

What to Bake Banana Bread In

Use a 9”x5” (or similar sized) loaf pan. If using smaller loaf pans (7×3) or disposable loaf pans, divide batter evenly across 2-3 pans and keep an eye on the baking time. Reduce by 10 minutes initially and keep baking in 2-minute increments until the loaf springs back when done.