Sour Cream Banana Bread

Sometimes that going back to the basics is just what I need. There's something amazingly comforting to me about a slice of good old banana bread, plain and unadulterated. My mom used to make it all the time growing up, and it was always a favorite. She never seemed to stick to the recipe and ended up adding way more bananas then it called for. This meant she always had to bake it for way longer than the recipe said, and even then it didn't seem to quite cook through. But that was okay with everyone, we all love the slightly gooey top part of undercooked banana bread, yum!

I had a little bit of sour cream left over a little while back and was looking around for some way to use it up. I can never let things like this go bad, it seems like such a waste, and it gives me an excuse to bake. What a problem, I HAD TO bake something! I found this banana bread and it was the perfect way to use up the little bit of sour cream I had left - only 1/4 cup needed. Other than this, the recipe is pretty basic; butter, flour, sugar, eggs. It turned out a simple, yet wonderful bread that used up my sour cream, as well as some of my super ripe bananas. Broiled in the oven until the edges are just crispy and then smeared with a little peanut butter, topped with some cinnamon sugar, breakfast is served, and it is oh so delicious. 

Like I said, nothing fancy about this bread, but this doesn't make it boring. If you're looking for something to jazz it up a bit you could try adding some nuts, or chocolate or even dried fruit, whatever you want. That's the best part of baking, taking a recipe and making it your own. I chose this recipe to use up some sour cream, but I have no doubt you could also replace the sour cream with some yogurt and it would be just as delicious, and a little bit more healthy! So whatever you want to do, just try it, it's worth it!

Sour Cream Banana Bread
Adapted from Fork vs Spoon

Ingredients

• 2 cups All - Purpose Flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1+ ½ cups of mashed bananas (about 2 to 3 large over ripe bananas)
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extractα

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2inch loaf pan or line loaf pan with parchment paper. Set side.

Whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

In a medium sized bowl, combine mashed bananas, sour cream, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla. With a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir to combine.

Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and lightly combine, folding the wet into the dry. Continue to mix until everything is just combined, don't overmix. The batter will be thick and chunky. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Place loaf pan in preheated oven and let bake for 55 to 65 minutes until golden brown and tester comes out clean with few crumbs attached.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 to 10 minutes before removing from pan and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.