How to make homemade banana bread soft, moist & dense?

This homemade banana bread has a few secret ingredients that help to make it so soft, moist & dense alongwith maintaining the sweet crunchy crumb. Brown sugar & buttermilk help to make the bread moist and soft. Brown sugar sprinkled on top helps to get an evenly browned bread & get that deliciously sweet & crunchy top. Plain yogurt plays an important role in making the banana bread dense as it should be alongwith also adding a better overall flavour & texture and keeps the bread fresh longer.

What if my crumb is browned enough halfway through baking?

If your crumb seems to be browned enough halfway through baking, cover it with an aluminium foil to prevent it from burning and continue baking it for the remaining amount of time. Banana bread is baked when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean without any crumbs attached to it.

How to freeze banana bread?

Banana bread freezes like a charm. You can freeze banana bread using the instructions below to preserve its fresh flavour and texture for months: 1. Allow the banana bread to cool completely. 2. Wrap either the entire loaf or slices (individually or grouped together) in a plastic wrap or an aluminium foil. 3. Transfer the wrapped bread to an airtight container or a reusable freezer bag. Make sure you don't forget to add a date to it. 4. Frozen banana bread will stay good for upto 3-4 months. You can thaw it either in the refrigerator or at room temperature. 5. I highly recommend freezing slices as they thaw a lot faster when you need them.

One Bowl Classic Buttermilk Banana Bread

Description

This one bowl classic buttermilk banana bread is so soft & moist with a crunchy exterior. It has a thick crumb, is very easy to throw together and is the best banana bread you’ll ever have. It truthfully has a flavour & texture which is unparalleled by any other recipe. This is achieved from a lot of secret ingredients I use to add that extra moistness along with maintaining that deliciously sweet and crunchy top.

Ingredients

Scale

½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup (165g) brown sugar
3–4 (300g) mashed ripe bananas
⅓ cup (80g) plain yogurt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ cup (60ml) buttermilk, at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Grease & line a 9×5 bread loaf pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, add the unsalted butter and sugar. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the mashed bananas and plain yogurt. Mix together until combined thoroughly. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. The mixture will now be light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until thoroughly combined.
Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients about 4-5 tablespoons at a time and beat on low speed until combined. Repeat until all dry ingredients are added. The batter will be slightly thick. Now, add the buttermilk into the batter. Beat on low speed until fully incorporated.
Pour in the batter into the lined pan and spread it evenly. Sprinkle with brown sugar generously throughout.
Bake the bread for 60-65 minutes at 350ºF (177ºC) until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean.
Transfer the bread to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.
Store bread in an airtight container for upto 3 days at room temperature or upto a week in the refrigerator. You can also freeze banana bread (see faqs above).

Notes

You can always substitute plain yogurt with sour cream. However fresh yogurt adds a more natural flavour and texture and helps the bread stay fresh longer. Make sure to drain out all the water from it if has any.
You can always leave out nutmeg but I highly recommend it as it helps to enhance the flavour of cinnamon in the bread.
If you’re in a pinch and don’t have buttermilk in hand, I have a DIY substitute for you. Add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in half cup. You can double or half this as required. Fill that cup with whole milk to the top. Mix and let it sit for 5 minutes. That’s it, your buttermilk is ready. Your muffins may not turn out marvellous, but they will still be delicious!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Dessert, Bread, Brunch
Cuisine: American

Keywords: banana bread, homemade banana bread, classic banana bread, brunch recipes, breakfast recipes