Sarra Ina Garten banana bread recipes start with perfectly ripe bananas, real butter, and a few pantry staples that come together into loaves, cakes, and muffins worth baking every week. These ten tested recipes range from her classic sour cream banana bread to chocolate chip studded loaves, layered banana pudding, and crunchy muffins loaded with granola.
1. Banana Bread
Sour cream stirred into the batter with three ripe mashed bananas, vegetable oil, and vanilla makes this loaf incredibly moist with a tender crumb that lasts for days. Optional walnuts or pecans add crunch if you want them. Ready in about an hour and five minutes and one of Ina’s most requested recipes.
2. Banana Nut Bread
Melted butter instead of oil gives this version a richer, more golden flavor, and a half cup of chopped walnuts or pecans adds crunch in every bite. Three mashed bananas and a touch of cinnamon keep the crumb soft and warmly spiced. Bakes for about 55 minutes and smells incredible straight from the oven.
3. Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Semisweet chocolate chips melted into every slice turn classic banana bread into something dessert-worthy without much extra effort. Sour cream and softened butter keep the crumb tender while a touch of cinnamon rounds out the flavor. Bakes for about an hour and fifteen minutes until golden on top with melty chocolate pockets throughout.
4. Banana Cake
Mashed ripe bananas, sour cream, and softened butter whipped with brown sugar bake into a tender cake with a fine, moist crumb. Tangy cream cheese frosting made with powdered sugar and vanilla goes on thick and balances the sweetness perfectly. Done in about 55 minutes before frosting.
5. Old Fashioned Banana Cake
Buttermilk and vegetable oil in the batter create an incredibly soft, old-school banana cake that stays moist for days after baking. Optional walnut halves pressed into the cream cheese frosting add texture and a nutty bite. Ready in about 55 minutes and tastes even better the next day.
6. Pumpkin Banana Mousse Tart
Graham cracker crust pressed with cinnamon and melted butter holds a creamy filling of pumpkin puree, mashed banana, and warm spices like nutmeg and ginger, all set with gelatin and folded with whipped cream. No baking needed after the crust, just 30 minutes of active time. Topped with cinnamon-dusted whipped cream and served chilled.
7. Banana Pudding
Vanilla custard made from scratch with whole milk, egg yolks, and cornstarch gets layered with sliced ripe bananas and vanilla wafers, then topped with sweetened whipped cream. Only about 20 minutes of active work before it chills in the fridge. Every spoonful has creamy custard, soft banana, and a cookie crunch.
8. Banana Crunch Muffins
Diced bananas, mashed bananas, walnuts, granola, and shredded coconut all folded into a buttery batter create muffins with incredible texture in every bite. Dried banana chips or extra granola on top add a crunchy finish before baking. Makes 18 large muffins in about 45 minutes and they disappear fast.
Get the Recipe at Food Network
9. Chunky Banana Bran Muffins
Wheat bran soaked in buttermilk with molasses and orange zest creates a hearty, slightly sweet muffin base studded with diced banana, raisins, and walnuts. The bran keeps them moist while the fruit and nuts add chewy, crunchy bites throughout. Bakes in about 25 to 30 minutes.
Get the Recipe at Food Network
10. Chocolate Banana Cream Pie
Rich chocolate custard made with bittersweet chocolate, egg yolks, and a splash of coffee liqueur fills a graham cracker crust, then gets topped with sliced bananas and billowy whipped cream. Milk chocolate shavings curled on top finish the whole thing off. Chills for six hours and slices beautifully from the tart pan.
