Martha Stewart’s banana bread is a dense, moist loaf made with very ripe bananas, sour cream, butter, and chopped walnuts or pecans. It bakes at 180°C (350°F) for about 1 hour 10 minutes in a 23×13 cm (9×5 in) loaf tin. The recipe makes one loaf that serves 8.
This recipe first appeared in Stewart’s debut book Entertaining (1982) and has been her go-to ever since. The sour cream sets it apart, adding tang that balances the sweetness and keeping the crumb moist for days. No milk, no buttermilk, no yoghurt.
The technique that matters most is using properly ripe bananas. Stewart is specific: they must be very ripe but not bruised. Underripe fruit gives a flat, starchy loaf because ripeness does more for flavour than anything else in the bowl.
Martha Stewart Banana Bread
Course: DessertsCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings15
minutes1
hour10
minutes410
kcal1
hour25
minutesA sour cream banana bread with walnuts or pecans from Stewart’s first book Entertaining (1982). The sour cream gives a richer, tangier crumb than standard recipes using milk or buttermilk.
Ingredients
115g (½ cup/1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus extra for the tin
200g (1 cup) sugar
2 large eggs
190g (1½ cups) plain flour (all-purpose)
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
1 teaspoon fine salt
225g (1 cup) mashed very ripe bananas
120ml (½ cup) sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
60g (½ cup) chopped walnuts or pecans
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Butter a 23x13x8 cm (9x5x3 in) loaf tin and set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and beat until fully combined.
- Whisk the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Add the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix until evenly combined.
- Stir in the chopped nuts by hand. Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
- Bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Rest in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Calories: Butter 113g = 810 kcal. Sugar 200g = 774 kcal. Eggs 2 = 155 kcal. Flour 190g = 692 kcal. Bananas 225g = 200 kcal. Sour cream 120g = 232 kcal. Vanilla 5ml = 12 kcal. Walnuts 60g = 392 kcal. Total: 3,267 kcal / 8 servings = 408, rounded to 410.
FAQs
Why does Stewart use sour cream instead of milk?
Sour cream is richer and fattier than milk or buttermilk, so it adds moisture that lasts for days rather than drying out overnight. It also brings a slight tang that stops the loaf from tasting one-note sweet. Stewart’s headnote calls it out as the ingredient that gives the bread its “super moist yet dense texture that slices well.”
If you don’t have sour cream, Stewart says plain yoghurt works as a swap. Greek yoghurt is even closer in thickness and gives a slightly tangier result. I wouldn’t use milk as a substitute because the texture changes completely.
How ripe should the bananas be?
As ripe as possible without being bruised or mouldy. The skin should be heavily spotted brown or even mostly black. Stewart says ripe bananas add sweetness and depth, while underripe ones fall flat. Making banana bread is one of the best ways to use up bananas that are too soft to eat on their own.
If your bananas aren’t quite ready, Stewart offers two tricks. Put them in a paper bag with an apple overnight so the ethylene gas speeds ripening. Or place them in the oven at 130°C (250°F) for an hour, though the flavour won’t match natural ripening.
Can I make this without a stand mixer?
Yes. Stewart confirms the bread works without a mixer. Let the butter soften fully at room temperature, then use a whisk to cream it with the sugar by hand. The mixture won’t look as light and fluffy as the machine version, but the finished loaf will still taste right.
The key is getting the butter genuinely soft. You should be able to push a finger straight through it without resistance. If it’s still cool and firm, the sugar won’t blend in properly and you’ll end up with a gritty batter.
How long does banana bread keep?
Stewart says it lasts up to four days at room temperature stored in an airtight container. Let the loaf cool completely before wrapping it in cling film or greaseproof paper. If your kitchen runs hot and humid, store it in the fridge and bring it back to room temperature before eating.
For longer storage, it freezes well for up to three months. Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in cling film, then place it in a freezer bag. Stewart suggests slicing before freezing so you can thaw individual pieces. I always freeze a second loaf when I bake, which saves time on busy mornings. It’s the same make-ahead logic as the slow cooker corned beef, where prep now pays off later.
Can I add cream cheese frosting?
Stewart has a variation for this on the same page. Beat 170g (6 oz) cream cheese with 3 tablespoons icing sugar, a pinch of salt, and half a teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Spread it over the cooled loaf with a palette knife. The frosting turns the banana bread into more of a cake.
She also made a filled version on her TV show. Slice the cooled loaf in half horizontally, spread the frosting on the bottom half, and place the top back on. This gives you cream cheese in every bite rather than just on top. Either way, refrigerate the frosted loaf because the cream cheese needs to stay cold.
What nuts work best, and can I leave them out?
Stewart uses pecans but says walnuts work just as well. Pecans are sweeter and softer, while walnuts have a slightly bitter edge that contrasts with the banana. Either way, toast them in a dry frying pan for 3–4 minutes before adding to the batter. Toasting brings out more flavour.
You can skip the nuts entirely if you prefer or have allergies. The loaf holds up fine without them. If you want to explore more from Stewart, the crown roast and deep-fried turkey show a completely different side of her cooking.
