Apple Butter Banana Bread
A soft, warmly spiced banana bread made extra moist with apple butter and sour cream, finished with a crackly cinnamon-turbinado crust for a bakery-style loaf.
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- 9x5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment Paper
- Two mixing bowls
- Whisk and spatula
- Instant-read thermometer
- Wire cooling rack
- Ingredients
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 250 g very ripe mashed bananas about 2 large or 3 medium
- 120 g apple butter
- 100 g sour cream room temperature
- 115 g unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon maple extract optional
- 250 g 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Pinch of ground cloves optional
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides for easy removal.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, maple, mashed bananas, apple butter, and sour cream. Whisk until fully combined.250 g very ripe mashed bananas, 120 g apple butter, 100 g sour cream, 115 g unsalted butter, 150 g light brown sugar, 50 g granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp maple extract
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.250 g 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, Pinch of ground cloves
- Assemble. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. In a small bowl, combine the turbinado sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the batter.2 tbsp turbinado sugar, ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Bake. Bake for 60–70 minutes, tenting loosely with foil after about 40 minutes if the top begins to brown too quickly. The loaf is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, the center springs back lightly when gently pressed, and the internal temperature reaches 200–205°F (93–96°C).
- Cool. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots for the sweetest flavor.
Apple butter adds moisture and warm spice while complementing the banana without overpowering it. It's thicker and more concentrated than applesauce; if substituting applesauce, reduce it on the stove first.
The cinnamon-turbinado topping creates a crisp, bakery-style crust that contrasts beautifully with the soft, tender crumb. Sprinkle it on just before baking and don't press it in.
Don't overmix. Fold the batter just until the flour disappears to keep the crumb tender.
Serve warm with a smear of salted butter.
Nutrition
Calories: 282kcalCarbohydrates: 44gProtein: 4gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 323mgPotassium: 149mgFiber: 1gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 348IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
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