For a sweet treat that makes the perfect breakfast, snack or dessert, try A Recipe for Banana Bread. It’s moist and tender thanks to a dollop of sour cream in the batter, and it’s especially good when eaten fresh out of the oven or lightly toasted with butter. This recipe is a classic and is easy to customize with other ingredients like chocolate chips or walnuts.

Easy Banana Bread: Ready in No Time

The most important thing to remember when making banana bread is to use ripe bananas. The best ones have freckled skins and are so mushy that they almost liquefy with a fork or potato masher. If you can’t find very ripe bananas, the recipe will still work, but the flavor won’t be as intense.

You also need to separate your wet and dry ingredients. Then mix your butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs in a large bowl until the mixture is smooth (a few small lumps of egg are fine). In another bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon). Finally, stir the mashed bananas into the wet ingredients and then fold in your flour mixture.

Pour the batter into a lightly greased and floured 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. If you’re adding nuts or chocolate, stir them into the batter and then sprinkle them over the top of the loaf before putting it in the oven. Bake the loaf for about 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.