Credits to @redcurrantbakery

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

Banana Bread Batter

1. In a medium pan, add in the frozen bananas. *If you don’t have a fresh ripe banana to add in later, add in another banana here.
2. Cook over medium low heat, stirring and mashing occasionally until all of the excess moisture has evaporated and they just begin to carmelize.
3. Chop up your choice of nuts and set aside. *I roughly chopped up the 40 grams of nuts for the topping at the same time as the 120 grams for the batter, then separated the 40 grams for topping and continued to finely chop. Saves a step later!
4. In a medium bowl whisk together the 125 grams of brown sugar, 2 eggs, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon until a bit thick and frothy.
5. Add in the oil and sour cream and whisk again until smooth.
6. It’s time to weigh your reduced bananas. I poured them from the pan into a small bowl on a food scale. They should be at least 200 grams (my 3 large were 300 grams and I used all of it).
7. Then add in one fresh but ripe banana, mashed, to up the weight to at least 260 (my total was 360). Whisk the banana additions into the previous wet ingredients.
8. Pour in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder as well as 120 grams of the chopped nuts.
9. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients and add-ins into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. *Do not overmix! Banana bread has a tendency to become dense and dry when overmixed.

Cream Cheese Swirl

1. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, salt, and an egg. You can use an electric mixer (I used a hand electric mixer), but try not to whip air into it, you just want a smooth mixture.
2. Line a 9″ by 5″ inch metal loaf pan (do not use glass! it will cook differently) with parchment paper.
3. Add about half or slightly less than half of the banana bread batter into the loaf pan.
4. Dollop about half of the cream cheese mixture over the batter and lightly swirl it into the batter.
5. Add 3/4 of the remaining batter over the cream cheese. Spoon the remaining cream cheese over the top, then dollop the remaining batter next to the spoonfuls of cream cheese and lightly swirl them together with a knife or spoon.

Topping & Bake

1. In a small bowl, mix together the remaining 30 grams of brown sugar and remaining 40 grams of chopped nuts. Sprinkle the mixture over the banana bread and lightly swirl it into the top of the loaf.
2. Bake the loaf on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
3. After 30 minutes rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 25-30 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The bread also shouldn’t wobble when you move the pan. *Do not underbake this bread! Otherwise, the center will sink when it cools.
4. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 20 minutes. Then use the parchment to lift it out onto a cutting surface and completely cool before slicing.
5. Store leftovers, tightly wrapped in an airtight container.

Natalie’s Notes

Made May 20, 2026. I wouldn’t call this simple, but it’s 100% worth it.

• The recipe carefully instructs to base your banana count on the weight, not the number, of bananas because it has a huge impact on the moisture of the bread. I used a total of 360 grams, recipe called for at least 260. My bread was super moist but still finished cooking in the suggested time, so don’t be afraid of lots of bananas!
• This could also be called an olive oil cake. The olive oil flavor felt really pronounced to me, but I wouldn’t cut it unless I was using a lot of bananas because the oil and sour cream are key to a moist banana bread.
• I used Kosher salt. Next time I will use fine sea salt, or double the Kosher salt. Sea salt is saltier by volume than Kosher salt, and my bread felt like it was missing that tiny punch that salt brings out.
• The cream cheese swirl is optional, but I would not omit. It’s what makes this banana bread so special.
• I was inpatient and sliced before it was fully cool. Do not do that! It will fall apart.