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Ina Garten Banana Bread

Ina Garten banana bread with sour cream delivers bakery-quality moisture and a caramelized golden crust. Mash-ripe bananas, butter-sugar creaming, and walnut halves pressed on top create a classic banana loaf with a refined finish.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread base
  • 3 bananas Ripe bananas, mashed
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter Room temperature
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs Large, room temperature
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 cup walnuts Toasted and roughly chopped, plus whole halves for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep the oven and pan
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, then dust with flour to prevent sticking.
Cream the butter and sugar
  1. Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes, so the loaf bakes evenly.
Add wet ingredients
  1. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each, then mix in vanilla and sour cream until smooth and combined.
  2. Stir in mashed bananas until combined, scraping the bowl so no dry pockets remain.
Combine dry and bake
  1. Fold in all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt until just combined, then fold in chopped walnuts without overmixing.
  2. Pour batter into the pan, press whole walnut halves down the center, and bake for 65–70 minutes until deep golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
  3. Cool for 15 minutes before turning out, so the loaf sets with a clean slice.

Notes

For the most caramelized golden crust, use very ripe bananas and keep mixing just until flour disappears—overmixing can make the loaf tough. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze slices wrapped well for up to 3 months. For a dairy-free swap, use an equal amount of full-fat plant-based butter and a non-dairy sour-cream style substitute; texture may be slightly less tender.