Just when you thought banana bread couldn’t get any better, this moist, tender loaf takes
all the comfort of the classic banana bread and adds a fun yet familiar twist of cinnamon sugar ribbons and a crunchy-sweet topping. This banana bread is bound to become a family favorite.
Find more delicious quick bakes in Fast-Fix Baking: 85 Recipes Ready to Enjoy in 2 Hours or Less.
Watch editor-in-chief Brian Hart Hoffman bring this banana bread to life on our YouTube channel.
Cinnamon Crunch Banana Bread
Makes 1 (8½x4½-inch) loaf
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons (4 grams) ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
Batter:
- 1⅔ cups (208 grams) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon (2.25 grams) kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 grams) baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 grams) baking powder
- 1 cup (240 grams) mashed ripe banana (about 3 medium bananas)
- 3/4 cup (165 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (56 grams) neutral oil
- 1/4 cup (60 grams) sour cream, room temperature
- 2 large eggs (100 grams), room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ teaspoons (9 grams) vanilla bean paste
- Cinnamon Sugar Topping (recipe follows)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F (170°C). Spray an 8½x4½-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- For filling: In a small bowl, stir together flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is well combined and sandy.
- For batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- In a large bowl, whisk together banana, brown sugar, oil, sour cream, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla bean paste. Gradually stir in flour mixture just until combined. Spread one-third of batter (about 1 cup or 280 grams) into prepared pan. Sprinkle with half of filling (about 2½ packed tablespoons or 30 grams), leaving a 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-inch border around edges. Spread one-third of batter on top of filling in pan, and sprinkle with remaining filling, leaving a 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-inch border around edges. Dollop remaining batter on top, and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with Cinnamon Sugar Topping.
- Bake for 40 minutes. Rotate pan, and bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 200°F (93°C) to 205°F (96°C), 26 to 32 minutes more, loosely covering with foil during final 10 to 12 minutes of baking to prevent excess browning. Let cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Serve warm, or let cool completely.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
Makes about 3 tablespoons
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon (3 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) cold unsalted butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, stir together brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Using your fingers, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
This recipe was absolutely perfect ! I always have bananas on hand and have tried numerous cake/bread recipes using ripe bananas.
It was especially quick and easy to make since it all came together by hand in 2 bowls. The result was so light and remained for at least 3 days wrapped on the counter.
I did make 1 change omitting the sour cream and substituting thick greek yogurt; it did not seem to affect the finished product.
absolutely delicious; nice taste change from plain banana bread.
I am makin the recipe now. #5 is not quite making sense to me. Is the total time 40 min or after 40 min, I need to bake an additional 26-32 min more?
Hi Lora,
Thank you for reaching out. You bake for 40 minutes, rotate, and then bake another 26-32 minutes more, until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Happy baking!