Sour Cream Banana Bread

Jun 14, 2024

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This sweet and moist Sour Cream Banana Bread is spiked with chocolate chips for extra flavor. It also has a secret ingredient – almond flour! – that makes it incredibly tender and rich.

Sour cream banana bread in a loaf pan with bananas and other ingredients around it.

Banana bread is a cozy bake that always makes everyone in the house happy. And I love swirling in a handful of chocolate chips to take it over the top. This sour cream banana bread recipe has everything you love about an easy banana bread recipe, plus tangy sour cream and nutty almond flour to give it extra richness.

Why You’ll Love This Sour Cream Banana Bread Recipe

Packed with bananas. It wouldn’t be banana bread without bananas! There are plenty of ripe bananas in this bread and a banana baked onto the surface for even more of that wonderful banana flavor.
Amazing texture. Adding a little almond flour to your baking recipes infuses the finished product with extra moisture and a lovely, tender crumb that sets them apart.
Easy prep. Set aside 15 minutes or less, which is all you’ll need to quickly put together this banana bread with sour cream. And while the instructions call for using an electric mixer, you can get away with using a whisk and a spoon to make the batter, saving you even more time.

Ingredients for sour cream banana bread are labelled and portioned out: bananas, brown sugar, almond flour, sour cream, all-purpose flour, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, salt, chocolate chips, butter.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a glance at the ingredients in this sour cream banana bread recipe. Check the recipe card for the detailed ingredient amounts.

All-Purpose Flour – Make sure to use the spoon and level method to measure your flour – don’t scoop! – to ensure that the cake isn’t too dense.
Almond Flour – I prefer to use almond flour rather than coarser almond meal to make this sweet bread because it blends better into the batter.
Baking Powder – Before you start, check the expiration date on your baking powder to ensure it’s fresh and will help the bread rise correctly.
Salt – Use fine sea salt or table salt in this recipe.
Eggs – Most baking recipes are developed using large eggs.
Brown Sugar – I prefer to use light brown sugar but you may also use dark brown sugar.
Bananas – You’ll need very ripe bananas to add to this bread – the browner the skins, the better! You’ll also need a banana to add to the top of the bread.
Butter – Unsalted butter is best so that it doesn’t compete with the sweetness of the bread.
Sour Cream – I use whole-fat sour cream for the most richness, but low-fat sour cream can be used in a pinch.
Chocolate Chips – Use your choice of chocolate chips – I prefer semisweet chocolate chips.
Vanilla Extract – A little pure vanilla extract adds depth of flavor.

Overhead view of banana bread and two slices cut out from it.

How To Make Banana Bread With Sour Cream

Follow along with my method for sour cream banana bread below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

Butter and sour cream are mixed in a bowl.

The mashed bananas are added to the wet mix.

The flour and almond flour are added to the wet mixture.

Chocolate chips are added to the banana bread batter.

The bread batter is placed in a loaf pan and topped with bananas.

Prepare. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
Whip eggs. Beat the eggs until pale and foamy.
Add sugar. Then beat in the brown sugar.
Mash bananas. Use a fork to mash the ripe bananas.
Mix in. Add the mashed bananas, melted butter, and room-temperature sour cream to the egg mixture.
Add flours. Sift in the all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
Combine. Mix the dry ingredients gently into the wet mixture.
Add chocolate. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Place in pan. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and top with the sliced banana.
Bake. Place the loaf pan in the oven and bake for 55-65 minutes. Cool the bread slightly before serving it.

Close-up image of a cut sour cream banana bread with the interior exposed to see the texture and chocolate chips.

Recipe Tips & Variations

My first tip is to use ripe bananas (you’ll thank me for this later)! If you need to make any ingredient substitutions, I’ve included some ideas below, along with a few tips and variation options:

Use ripe bananas. This step is important because ripe bananas have a natural sweetness that will infuse the bread with intense flavor, and they will also be softer so that they blend into the batter better. Use bananas that are covered with brown spots on their skins for the best flavor.
Swap flour for the almond flour. If you don’t have almond flour on hand, don’t worry. You can substitute an equal amount of all-purpose flour for the almond flour, and the bread will still be very good.
Substitute Greek yogurt. If you’re out of sour cream, you can substitute plain Greek yogurt with similar results. To make this cake dairy-free, substitute dairy-free sour cream or yogurt for the sour cream, and use vegetable oil or non-dairy butter for the butter.
Add nuts. For a little crunch, fold in toasted, chopped walnuts.
Other chocolate: You can use milk chocolate, semisweet chocolate, or even white chocolate chips in this sour cream banana bread.

Serving Suggestions

This moist banana bread is perfect as-is, or you can try spreading bread slices with softened butter, cream cheese, or frosting. Drizzle lemon icing or glaze over the top of the bread.

I love a generous spoonful of Nutella, peanut butter, or another nut butter! Make a chilled Mocha Iced Coffee or pour a glass of Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew to go with a slice of banana bread.

Spreading nutella over a slice of banana bread.

Proper Storage

Counter – Sour cream banana bread keeps well and it can be frozen for later, too. To keep it on the counter, wrap the bread in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container and keep it at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Fridge – Place the bread in a sealable bag or airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer – Wrap the cooled loaf or bread slices in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer-safe bag in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw the bread completely in the fridge before serving.