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How to make the famous, award-winning Flour Bakery Banana Bread. This is the best banana nut bread recipe and is perfectly moist with sweet banana flavor.
Have you ever tried the famous banana bread from Flour Bakery? My daughter, Sierra, lived in Boston last summer (and is moving back in a few weeks), and we had to try the award-winning banana bread at Flour Bakery. It definitely lived up to the expectations! I found the recipe and had to share it with you because it is the best banana bread recipe.
Joanne Chang, is the owner and pastry chef at Flour Bakery in Boston, Massachussets. I appreciate and admire those pastry chefs who are detail oriented and perfectionists in the kitchen. I love so many of her recipes!
One of the things that I love about baking homemade banana bread is that it is so nostalgic for me. The smell of banana bread baking often evokes a sense of comfort and nostalgia, reminiscent of my Mom baking and family gatherings.
What makes this the Best Banana Bread?
The perfect banana bread is incredibly moist, with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. It has the perfect sweetness from ripe bananas, a hint of vanilla, and a touch of cinnamon. By using both oil and sour cream, it makes it perfectly moist and tender. This Flour Bakery Banana Bread is known for its incredible moistness and rich banana flavor.
Ingredients:
Do you have ripe bananas and wonder what to do with them? The answer is always to bake homemade banana bread.
- Bananas — It is imperative to use ripe bananas when baking homemade banana bread. The ripe bananas invoke a natural sweetness in the banana bread.
- Oil — The oil is the integral ingredient to making moist banana bread.
- Creme Fraiche or Sour Cream — Use creme fraiche or full-fat sour cream for the most flavor and best texture.
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla Extract
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Nuts — This is optional but adds the perfect amount of crunch to the banana bread. I suggest adding walnuts but you can add pecans as well.
Use Ripe Bananas
The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be. How ripe do bananas need to be? The best bananas for banana bread are very ripe with plenty of brown spots. Overripe bananas are sweeter and more flavorful, which enhances the taste of the bread.
Oil vs. Butter in Banana Bread:
Using oil instead of butter in banana bread makes it more moist and tender. While butter adds flavor, oil stays liquid at room temperature, which helps retain moisture. This results in a softer texture and longer-lasting moistness, making the banana bread even more delicious days after baking.
What type of oil should I use in banana bread?
Neutral oils like vegetable oil or canola oil are best for banana bread as they do not impart any strong flavors. Olive oil can also be used for a slightly different taste.
Why is using sour cream (or creme fraiche) important in banana bread?
Sour cream plays a crucial role in banana bread by adding moisture and richness to the batter. It also provides a slight tanginess that enhances the flavor of the bananas. The acidity in sour cream helps to tenderize the gluten in the flour, resulting in a softer and more tender crumb.
How to make Flour Bakery Banana Bread:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or butter a 9×5 loaf pan.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs together for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. This step will take 8 minutes if using a hand mixer.
- On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Don’t add the oil all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn’t deflate the air you just whipped into the batter. Adding the oil should take about 1 minute.
- Add the bananas, sour cream or creme fraiche, and vanilla and continue to mix on low speed until combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients and nuts until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown on the top and your finger springs back when you press it. If your finger sinks when you press on the bread, it needs more baking time. I suggest carefully placing foil on the top of the bread halfway through baking to ensure it doesn’t become too brown.
- Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Then pop it out of the pan to finish cooling.
- Spread with sweet cream butter. The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Why do I need to whip the sugar and eggs together in this banana bread recipe?
Whipping the eggs and sugar together for about 8 minutes incorporates air into the batter, resulting in a lighter and fluffier banana bread. This step is crucial for achieving the desired texture.
FAQ’s:
Banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden brown, and the bread should feel firm to the touch.
The best ingredient to spread on banana bread is butter. The salty creaminess pairs so well with the sweet banana flavor. You can also spread Nutella on banana bread for a chocolate banana flavor.
Absolutely! Popular mix-ins include chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit. My favorite nuts to fold into banana bread are walnuts. If I am adding chocolate chips, I like to use mini chocolate chips. Fold them into the batter just before pouring it into the loaf pan.
Storage:
Store banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 3 months.
Got Bananas? More Banana Recipes:
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Flour Bakery Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups Flour (all-purpose)
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- 1 cup + 2 Tablespoons Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1/2 cup Canola Oil
- 3 1/2 very ripe, medium Bananas (1 1/3 cups peeled and mashed)
- 2 Tablespoons Sour Cream or Creme Fraiche (full-fat)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup Walnuts (chopped)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray with non-stick cooking spray or butter a 9×5 loaf pan.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment (or a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs together for 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. This step will take 8 minutes if using a hand mixer.
- On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Don't add the oil all at once. Add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn't deflate the air you just whipped into the batter. Adding the oil should take about 1 minute.
- Add the bananas, sour cream or creme fraiche, and vanilla and continue to mix on low speed until combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the dry ingredients and nuts until no streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden brown on the top and your finger springs back when you press it. If your finger sinks when you press on the bread, it needs more baking time. I suggest carefully placing foil on the top of the bread halfway through baking to ensure it doesn't become too brown.
- Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before removing from the pan. Then pop it out of the pan to finish cooling.
- Spread with sweet cream butter. The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Finally found the recipe I was looking for from TikTok. Oh and it’s the classic ad-revenue based site.
Rates the recipe a 5 cuz tbh it’s solid. As for the medium and journey in which one had to get to it, -1000.
Hi there! Thank you for your feedback. The ads are how I am able to do what I do! I am grateful to do something that I love and I recipe test each recipe several times, photograph them, video each step, edit them, write a comprehensive recipe post with baking tips and answers to frequently asked questions so my readers can have success with the recipe, and then go on and share it on my social media channels. I am grateful that the ads help to pay for what I do…and it is a win-win as you are getting a FREE recipe online. All the best!
Can’t wait to taste your famous banana bread ! I have made 1000s of banana bread and still many say they will be moist but aren’t- so I saw your post and read your story and I am very excited to make this it might be my to go recipe but will let you know thank you for sharing this 🩷
Deliciously sweet & moist banana bread recipe! So good! Thank you.
Can this recipe be made Gluten Free by using a gluten free all purpose (1 to 1) flour?
This is the best banana bread I have ever made. It’s delicious, moist and flavorful. Thank you for your recipe!! ❤️
It really is the best banana bread recipe I’ve ever made! Mini chocolate chips are my favorite add in. Your recipes never fail me Melissa, thank you!