Name: Ultra Moist Banana Bread Made with Buttermilk
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12oz (3 Medium) Very Ripe Bananas (measured without peel); 5oz (10 Tablespoons) Salted Butter; 4oz (1/2 Cup) Buttermilk, at room temperature; 100 Grams (1/2 Cup) Granulated Sugar; 100 Grams (1/2 Cup) Brown Sugar; 2 Large Eggs, at room temp.; 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract; 250 Grams (2 Cups) All-Purpose Flour/ Plain Flour; 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda; 1/2 Teaspoon Salt

This buttermilk banana bread is a moist, tender quick bread made with ripe bananas and tangy buttermilk for extra softness and flavor. The addition of buttermilk creates a beautiful, cake-like crumb that stays flavorful and moist day after day. With simple pantry ingredients and easy steps, this loaf feels cozy enough for breakfast and special enough for sharing with friends. Whether you enjoy it plain or add chocolate chips or nuts, each slice delivers comforting banana flavor and a texture that makes you want just one more piece.

up close of buttermilk banana bread slices on a pink plate. — Moist banana bread that practically begs for butter.

Banana bread is made in my house almost weekly, we just can't get enough of the delicious quick bread. Sometimes we make these banana bread muffins instead, which are also great and easy for lunches. This recipe for buttermilk banana bread uses just buttermilk as the moisture bomb in it to create a soft, tender crumb.

hand holding a piece of buttermilk banana bread to the camera.

The Ingredients That Matter Most

Ripe bananas: The heart of the loaf - the riper, the sweeter and more flavorful.
Buttermilk: Adds tang and acidity that keeps the crumb soft, tender, and beautifully moist.
Butter & sugar: Work together to create richness and help tenderize the crumb.
Eggs: Provide structure and lift so the loaf rises evenly without becoming dense.
Vanilla & salt: Enhance overall sweetness and balance flavors so the banana shines.

Buttermilk Substitute: If you don't have buttermilk on hand you can make a substitute by placing ½ tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar in a cup then filling it up to measure 4oz (½ Cup) of whole milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes before using it.

You could totally add ½ cup - 1 cup of chocolate chips or nuts, pecans or walnuts are my fave. If you love bananas then check out my Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting.

ingredients for buttermilk banana bread.

For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.

Let's Bake This Cozy Banana Bread

potato masher mashing bananas in a bowl. — Mash bananas.

wet ingredients mixed together until fully combined. — To the mashed banana add the melted butter, buttermilk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract and combine.

dry ingredients added to wet ingredients and mixed together until fully combined. — Gently fold in the flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients.

buttermilk banana bread before and after baking. — Pour batter into pan and bake.

slices of buttermilk banana bread. — Slice and enjoy!

What I Learned While Testing This Loaf

Use a digital scale, then you can just add everything to one big mixing bowl and not have to clean up all of the measuring cups AND you are guaranteed to have a better end product because scales are much more accurate than cups.
In my testing, I found that the riper the bananas (spotty and soft), the more banana flavor and moist crumb you get.
I learned that under-mixing once the flour hits keeps the bread tender rather than tough.

hand holding a slice of banana bread to the camera.

Explore Recipes

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Ultra Moist Banana Bread Made with Buttermilk

The Ingredients That Matter Most

Let's Bake This Cozy Banana Bread

What I Learned While Testing This Loaf

Recipe Card