Buttermilk Banana Bread

Buttermilk banana bread is light, fluffy, moist, and flavorful. With a tender crumb and a sweet cinnamon-sugar topping, it’s the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert!

While my banana nut bread recipe is a classic favorite, I love using buttermilk in baked goods to lighten the texture, add a touch of tangy flavor, and contribute even more rich moisture to the batter. After many, many rounds of testing, tweaking, and tasting, I’ve finally landed on the perfect loaf of homemade buttermilk banana bread!

It’s easy, it’s super moist, it’s full of sweet banana flavor, and it has a lighter, more tender crumb than a typical loaf of banana bread (thanks to the buttermilk). There’s just no better way to take advantage of those overripe bananas that are probably sitting on your counter right now. Stir together a loaf in about 15 minutes (no electric mixer required), pop it in the oven, and enjoy a delicious breakfast or snack throughout the week. It even gets better as it sits!

Why use buttermilk in banana bread?

The buttermilk is a key ingredient in this recipe, as it serves many important purposes. First, the buttermilk gives the bread a slightly tangy, rich, and buttery flavor that you can’t achieve with regular milk. Additionally, the acid in the buttermilk reacts with the leavening agents to help the banana bread rise, giving it a light, fluffy texture and a tender cake crumb. It’s not as dense as a typical loaf of banana bread! If you’re in a pinch and you don’t have buttermilk in your fridge, you can substitute with a “homemade buttermilk” instead.

How to Make Buttermilk SUBSTITUTE

Again, my preference is always thick, rich, whole buttermilk. That said, if it’s an emergency and you just don’t have any buttermilk on hand, you can make ¼ cup of homemade buttermilk by using regular milk and either lemon juice or white vinegar. To do so, pour ¼ cup of regular milk into a small bowl. Add either ¾ teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice or ¾ teaspoon of white vinegar. Give it a stir, let it sit for about 5 minutes, and then use it in the recipe as directed!

Why This is the Best Banana Bread Recipe with Buttermilk

As I mentioned above, I spent many hours going through many test batches to create what I deem the best buttermilk banana bread recipe. Here’s why this version works so well:

• The Right Amount of Bananas. Some recipes call for just 1 cup of mashed banana per loaf, but I found that 1 cup of banana resulted in a loaf of bread that was lacking in actual banana flavor (and not quite moist enough). By increasing the amount to 1 ½ cups, I achieved the sweet banana flavor that I was looking for without creating a “wet,” dense, or gummy loaf.
• Butter Instead of Oil. While many banana bread recipes use oil as the fat of choice, I found that melted butter created a more flavorful loaf.
• Moist Buttermilk Banana Bread. I tested the recipe with 6 tablespoons of butter, but found that a full stick (8 tablespoons) worked better with this proportion of bananas, buttermilk, and flour to keep the bread moist without making it heavy.
• Just 1 Egg. Other recipes might call for 2 eggs, but I found that the extra egg yielded a spongier, less flavorful loaf.
• The Right Amount of Sugar. I tried using just ¾ cup of sugar (not sweet enough in my opinion), so a full 1 cup of sugar seemed just right! Of course, feel free to adjust the amount of sugar slightly, based on your individual preferences.
• A Sweet, Crunchy, Warmly-Spiced Topping. The cinnamon-sugar on top is definitely optional, but highly recommended! It’s that extra something special that sets this bread apart from the rest. The sugars caramelize and create a bakery-style crispy crust on top, while the warm cinnamon makes every bite feel decadent and cozy.

How many cups is 1 mashed banana?

This can be tricky! We all know that measurements are important in baking, so the difference between a very small banana and a very large banana can be significant when baking a loaf of buttermilk banana bread.

This recipe calls for 1 ½ cups of mashed banana. One large banana yields about ½ cup mashed, so I used 3 large bananas for a total of about 1 ½ cups. If you’re working with small bananas, you’ll need at least 4 (and maybe even 5). Measuring is always the safest way to make sure that your banana bread turns out perfectly moist, sweet, and delicious!

How to Ripen Bananas in the Oven

Want to make this bread right away, but your bananas aren’t ripe yet? You can ripen the bananas in the oven! To do so, preheat the oven to 300°F. Place bananas (in their peels) on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until mushy and sweet. The banana peels will turn a black, shiny color (and look really weird!), but don’t worry — the insides will be perfect. Just let the mashed banana cool completely before using in the recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the bread warm, at room temperature, or even straight from the refrigerator! It’s a great option for breakfast or snack when paired with a mug of hot coffee or tea, or with a cold glass of milk.

Banana bread is delicious on its own, but you might also enjoy individual slices with butter, cream cheese, almond butter, or peanut butter. Add some yogurt or eggs and fresh fruit on the side for a perfect morning feast, or offer it in the bread basket at dinner alongside savory options like ribs, pulled pork, steak, or chicken.

How to Ensure Moist Buttermilk Banana Bread

There are a few keys to keep this banana bread moist and tender:

• The correct ratio of fat (such as butter), bananas, and buttermilk to flour is key, since the fat, bananas, and buttermilk add moisture to the batter. Too much fat or bananas, however, and the bread will be dense, mushy, or wet. Too little fat (for instance, using less butter or replacing the butter with applesauce) yields a gummy or dry texture.
• Do not over-mix the batter. Stir just until the ingredients are combined and you don’t see any dry pockets of flour — then stop. A few lumps in the batter is normal. Overmixing the batter in quick bread recipes will activate the gluten in the flour, yielding a tough, dry loaf.
• Do not overbake the bread or it will become dry. My loaves are typically done by the 50 or 55-minute mark, but your loaf might be ready in as little as 45 minutes — so check it early.

Recipes with Leftover Buttermilk

If you have extra buttermilk left in your fridge after making this banana bread, put the buttermilk to good use with biscuits, pancakes, cake, chicken, and more. Here are a few of our favorite recipes with buttermilk:

One Bowl Buttermilk Chocolate Cake

3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits

50 minutes mins

Fluffy Pancakes

40 minutes mins

For even more ideas, check out this convenient collection of more than 60 recipes with buttermilk!

Recipe Variations

• Double all of the ingredients and bake two loaves of bread. Enjoy one now, and freeze the second loaf for later.
• Unsalted Butter. I always keep salted butter in my fridge, so that’s what I use in my recipes. If you prefer unsalted butter, that’s fine — just increase the amount of salt in the recipe to ½ teaspoon.
• Add ½ cup – 1 cup of chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans.
• Add whole grains by swapping out half of the all-purpose flour and replacing it with 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
• Fold ½ cup – 1 cup chocolate chips into the batter.
• Stir in some raisins or dried cranberries! They add extra sweetness and plump, juicy texture.
• Turn this batter into buttermilk banana muffins by dividing the mixture between 12 standard-size muffin cups that have been greased with cooking spray or lined with paper. Bake in a 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Mini loaves: If using a mini loaf pan, bake the smaller loaves in a 375°F oven for 25-30 minutes.

Tips for the Best Buttermilk Banana Bread Recipe

• Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor and sweetness. You want them to look quite speckled and brown! Mash them in a bowl with a fork, or place them in a large Ziploc bag and squeeze them with your hands until they’re perfectly mashed.
• Use thick, full-fat buttermilk. This adds richness, moisture, and flavor to the bread that you don’t get with low-fat varieties.
• Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until they’re combined. Too much mixing and the bread will come out tough, dense, or dry. The key to keeping a quick bread moist is NOT over-mixing.
• The total baking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use (and on your individual oven). I prefer light-colored pans (or gold pans), which cook the bread more evenly. Dark metal pans tend to cause the outside to burn before the inside cooks through. You’ll know that the bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
• If the top of the bread starts to get too dark before it’s cooked through, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
• Do not overbake the bread or it will become dry. My loaves are typically done by the 50-minute mark, so check it early.

More Banana Bread Recipes to Try

Best Ever Banana Nut Bread

3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Zucchini Banana Bread

3 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Buttermilk Banana Bread

Prep: 15 minutes minutes

Cook: 50 minutes minutes

Cooling Time 1 hour hour

Total: 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 12 slices

Calories 245 kcal

Buttermilk banana bread is light, fluffy, moist, and flavorful!

Rate RecipePin RecipePrint Recipe

Equipment

• 9 x 5-inch loaf pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 ½ cups mashed banana (about 3 large bananas)
• ½ cup (1 stick) salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup whole buttermilk, well shaken
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Topping: 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan; set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift or whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
  
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together mashed banana, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg, and vanilla extract.
  
• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring just until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
• For the cinnamon sugar topping, stir together the 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the batter.
• Bake until the bread is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Do not overbake (my bread is usually done in about 50 minutes).
• Remove from the oven, unmold from the pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
  

Notes

• Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor and sweetness. You want them to look quite speckled and brown! Mash them in a bowl with a fork, or place them in a large Ziploc bag and squeeze them with your hands until they’re perfectly mashed.
• Use thick, full-fat buttermilk. This adds richness, moisture, and flavor to the bread that you don’t get with low-fat varieties.
• Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until they’re combined. Too much mixing and the bread will come out tough, dense, or dry. The key to keeping a quick bread moist is NOT over-mixing.
• The total baking time will vary depending on the type of pan that you use (and on your individual oven). I prefer light-colored pans (or gold pans), which cook the bread more evenly. Dark metal pans tend to cause the outside to burn before the inside cooks through. You’ll know that the bread is done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
• If the top of the bread starts to get too dark before it’s cooked through, tent loosely with aluminum foil.
• Do not overbake the bread or it will become dry. My loaves are typically done by the 50-minute mark, so check it early.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 245kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 169mgPotassium: 183mgFiber: 1gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 283IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg

Keyword: banana bread with buttermilk, buttermilk banana bread, moist buttermilk banana bread

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

Don’t Forget to Share a Pic of What You Made!

Tag me on Instagram at @theseasonedmom