Lindy's Old-Fashioned Banana Bread with Buttermilk

A white plate with a slice of banana bread on it. Relaxing with Banana Bread and a good book.

Moist, tender, and full of ripe banana flavor, this is the banana bread I’ve been making since the 1970s. Butter and buttermilk give this classic loaf a rich flavor and soft crumb. Add chopped nuts if you like—or enjoy it just as it is.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Course Breads – Biscuits & Muffins

Cuisine American

Servings loaf

Ingredients

1 cup sugar (200g)
½ cup butter (113g) softened
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas 3 to 4 medium (approximately 340g)
½ cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (300g) spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts optional

Instructions

Prepare Oven and Pan

Position a rack in the lower third of your oven and heat to 350°F (175°C). Grease the bottom of a 9 × 5 × 3-inch loaf pan.

Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Softened butter blends easily; it should give slightly when pressed but still hold its shape.

Add the Wet Ingredients

Beat in the eggs, then add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Mix until combined. Very ripe bananas give the bread its best flavor—the more brown spots, the better.

Gently Stir in the Dry Ingredients

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the banana mixture and stir just until the flour is moistened. Fold in the nuts, if using. Stop once there are no dry streaks; overmixing can make the bread tough.

Bake Until Done

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50–60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning before the center is done, loosely tent it with foil.

Cool Before Slicing

Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges and turn it out onto a wire rack. Cool completely before slicing for the cleanest cuts, or wrapping for storage.

Notes

Mini loaves for gifting: Grease the bottoms of your mini loaf pans and fill each about two-thirds full. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 30 minutes, checking a little earlier. Yield and baking time depend on the size of your pans.

Storage: Wrap the cooled bread tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for longer storage.

Keyword banana bread made with buttermilk, old fashioned banana bread

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!