Must-Make Buttermilk Banana Bread

The other day, when I told the boys we were going to make buttermilk banana bread, they both started squealing “nana bread! nana bread!” and doing a funny little jig around the kitchen. I kind of felt like joining in. It is just. that. good. 

I discovered this recipe five years ago, at my favorite food blog, Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. The bread takes on a lighter color than most banana breads because of the addition of buttermilk. It’s sweet, surprisingly fluffy and has a fantastic buttery crust. I get compliments whenever I take it somewhere.

Then when I tried adding an easy buttermilk glaze, it went from breakfast to dessert. 🙂 (Not that that stops us from eating it at breakfast!)

I know people can be pretty loyal to their banana bread recipes, but I’m just gonna say it—I think this is the banana bread to end all banana breads. 🙂

Buttermilk Banana Bread 

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

For the bread:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (I use 3 average-sized bananas)
4 tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda

For the glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1. Grease and flour 1 large loaf pan.

2. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla until the batter is well mixed. Add in the flour, baking powder, salt, and soda. Mix until combined. Pour batter into greased and floured bread pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (My oven takes at least 65 minutes.)

3. Loosen the edges with a knife and empty the pan onto a cooling rack.

4. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon buttermilk, and vanilla. Add more buttermilk as needed to reach a drizzleable-but-still-on-the-thick-side glaze. (Such a professional description!) Drizzle onto the bread and allow to finish cooling (if you can wait!).

*I usually sub 3 tablespoons of applesauce for 3 tablespoons of butter, as well as sub out 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the all-purpose flour for King Arthur’s white whole wheat flour. Slightly healthier and still amazing!

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Update!

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