Soft, moist, banana bread with something a little bit extra and special! Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread has a sweet cinnamon sugar ribbon going through the middle and a delicious vanilla glaze on top. Easily make this recipe with ripe bananas, sour cream, melted butter, and common pantry ingredients.
This is the Banana Bread I make when I want a Little Extra
After you all loved my double chocolate banana bread, I knew another banana bread had to happen. This one goes cozy instead of chocolatey, with a cinnamon sugar ribbon through the middle and a little vanilla glaze on top because banana bread deserves to dress up sometimes.
My favorite thing about this loaf is that the swirl looks best when you do less. Just layer the cinnamon sugar, give the batter a few soft swoops with a knife, and let it be. A slightly messy swirl is part of the charm, and it usually gives you the prettiest slices.
Ingredients for Moist Banana Bread
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Very Ripe Bananas: Your bananas should have lots of brown spots on them. The riper the bananas, the softer and sweeter they are! For the best result, measure the mashed bananas to make sure that you have the right amount. In this case, you need 1 ½ cups of mashed banana.
- Sour Cream: This adds moisture and tenderness to the bread. Avoid using low-fat or fat-free sour cream here.
- Melted Butter: For richness, you can’t beat butter in a banana bread recipe!
The Cinnamon Ribbon Works Best When it’s Layered, not mixed in
The method for this recipe will show you how to layer in the cinnamon sugar mixture to create a cinnamon swirl effect.
- First, add half of the batter to your prepared pan, then sprinkle 3 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar over it evenly.
- Gently add the remaining batter to avoid disturbing that layer of cinnamon swirl. Then add the rest of the cinnamon sugar on top.
- Before baking, run a sharp knife through the batter just a few times to swirl in the cinnamon. If you go overboard here, the cinnamon ribbon will disappear.
What the Batter Should Look Like Before Baking
- Your banana bread batter should be thick and scoopable. The ingredients should be well mixed, but some small lumps of banana are fine.
- Stop mixing in the flour as soon as you can no longer see any dry streaks in the bowl. The batter does not have to be perfectly smooth, and overmixing it will cause the bread to become tough.
- The cinnamon sugar on top should be in an even layer, covering all of the batter, before swirling it in. This creates a delicious crust with a little bit of crunch.
How to Tell When the Center is Actually Done
Banana bread can often appear done when it’s not actually cooked all the way through.
- To check for doneness, pay attention to the center of the loaf, not just the edges! Use a toothpick or a wooden skewer.
- If the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, the banana bread is ready! If it comes out with batter on it, keep baking.
- Total baking time can vary from 55 to 65 minutes, depending on the oven and the size of your pan.
Cool First, Glaze Second
Letting your banana bread cool completely is important! The texture of the bread improves as it cools, creating the tender crumb that we want. It’s also impossible to slice warm banana bread cleanly. So be patient!
The glaze for this bread is a simple mixture of powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla for flavor. Add the cream just a teaspoon at a time until you’ve reached a thick but pourable consistency.
If you try to glaze the bread while it’s still warm, the glaze will melt, so wait until the bread is totally cooled down before drizzling.
Make-Ahead and Storage Notes
- Once cooled, store your cinnamon banana bread covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Or, refrigerate it for up to 5 days, but bring slices to room temperature before serving.
- Freeze unglazed loaf or individual slices for 2-3 months. Glaze after thawing if you like.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9×5 inch loaf pan, or 8.5 x 4.5
- medium mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- Butter knife
- Toothpick
Ingredients
Cinnamon Sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Banana Bread
- 2 ¼ cups (270 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) mashed ripe bananas from about 3 large bananas
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (85 g) full-fat sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon (ml) pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) heavy cream plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 320°F (160°C) for a fan oven. Line a 9×5 inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, sour cream, eggs, and pure vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture.
- Stir with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain.
- Spoon half of the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread it into an even layer.
- Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar evenly over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter over the top and gently spread it to the edges.
- Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar over the top. Run a butter knife gently through the batter a few times to create a light swirl.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. It should not have wet batter on it.
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Use the parchment paper to lift it onto a wire rack.
- Cool completely before adding the glaze. This may take longer than 1 hour depending on the temperature of your kitchen.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, and pure vanilla extract until smooth.
- Add more heavy cream, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thick but pourable. Drizzle over the cooled banana bread before slicing.
Notes:
- Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added. Stir only until combined so the loaf stays soft.
- Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best flavor and texture.
- If the top is browning too quickly before the center is baked, loosely cover the loaf with foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking.
- The glaze should be added only after the loaf has cooled completely.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Leave a Review!