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Flour's Famous Banana Bread

Flour's famous banana bread is tender, moist, and baked in a 9x5 loaf pan with a crunchy cinnamon walnut topping. Ripe bananas, sour cream, and toasted walnuts give a rich crumb that stays soft through the slice.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
cooling 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 380
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • 0.5 cup canola oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 3 bananas
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
topping and add-ins
  • 0.75 cup chopped toasted walnuts
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar optional

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Preheat and prep
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Set a rack in the middle so the loaf bakes evenly.
  2. Grease and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Make sure the parchment overhangs so the bread lifts out cleanly.
Mix the dry and wet batters
  1. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon in a bowl. Whisk until the spices and leaveners look evenly distributed.
  2. Whisk together granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, canola oil, and vanilla extract in another bowl. Mix until the wet ingredients are smooth and glossy.
  3. Stir in mashed ripe bananas and sour cream. Keep stirring just until the mixture looks cohesive.
  4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Stop when no dry flour streaks remain to keep the crumb tender.
  5. Fold in the chopped toasted walnuts. Distribute them evenly through the batter.
Bake and finish
  1. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top so it bakes evenly.
  2. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar and a few extra chopped walnuts. The coarse sugar will create a crunchy crust as it bakes.
  3. Bake for 55–65 minutes at 350°F (175°C), until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking around 55 minutes to avoid overbaking.
  4. Cool for 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Letting it rest helps the loaf set before slicing.
  5. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Aim for soft, tender slices with a lightly crunchy top.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, cool the loaf the full 15 minutes, then cool completely if you want maximum structure. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze slices up to 3 months. Dietary swap: use unsweetened dairy-free sour cream (and dairy-free butter-style toppings if desired) for a dairy-reduced version.