Plain old banana bread gets a makeover and, va-va-voom, Bourbon Banana Bread is in the house — extra moist and definitely decadent, but still welcome at the breakfast table.
It’s funny how some recipes come about. It was a busy morning at the supermarket the other day and the woman in front of me asked if I would hold her place while she sprinted to grab some bacon. When she got back she explained that she was having friends over for brunch and then proceeded to recite her entire menu, from soup to nuts, while she checked out. Just as she loaded the last bag in her cart and the line shuffled forward with me up at bat, I heard her say “Oh, and my famous bourbon banana bread”. — Wait, whaaaaat? Wait a minute, I tried to get her attention while swiping my card so as not to annoy the restless hoards behind me — “That sounds really good, I need that recipe!”— but the pressure to move things along was too great, I had to enter my pin…and by the time I looked up she and her cart were drifting out of sight and all I could catch was a faint “just throw some bourbon in your favorite banana bread…”
Sheesh. So anyway, that’s basically what I did… I even took it one further and added a bourbon glaze…just because. I can see why her bread was famous, bourbon adds that little something extra that makes a big difference. Despite all that I don’t really consider this a dessert, it’s more of a coffee break type treat. I think Mom would love this on her breakfast-in-bed tray, don’t you?
This bread is moist and tender and all that you imagine it to be. I highly recommend giving it a try. By the way, if the combination of bourbon and banana is calling your name, you have to check out my BOURBON BANANA BUTTER!
notes ~
- Instead of the glaze, you could try another approach with the bourbon…while the cake is still warm, poke little holes all over the top and drizzle on a tablespoon or two of bourbon and let it soak in. Just sayin’.
- Loaf pans vary in size, if yours is not standard, your bake time will likely be different. Tent with foil toward the end of baking if the bread is getting very brown.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 Tbsp bourbon
- 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 mashed bananas
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 4 Tbsp bourbon
- milk or water to thin
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Lightly spray a standard 9x5 loaf pan and line with a piece of parchment paper with long ends so you can lift out the bread after baking.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the bourbon and vanilla bean paste.
- Toss the flour, baking soda and salt together.
- Blend the sour cream and mashed bananas together.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar, alternately with the sour cream/banana mixture, beginning and ending with the dry. Blend just enough after each addition to combine, don't over mix.
- Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until fully risen and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out without wet batter on it.
- Let cool before glazing.
- To make the glaze, stir together the sugar and bourbon, adding a touch of milk or water to thin to glaze consistency.
- Pour or spread the glaze on the cooled cake.
Don’t forget to pin this Bourbon Banana Bread!
33 Comments
Sarah
September 2, 2018 at 3:26 pmI just made this and it’s delicious! I was out of sugar (!!!) so I used brown sugar (only 3/4 cup). It’s super moist andonly took 45 minutes to bake for me.
I used less bourbon in the glaze, half the powdered sugar and added sour cream to it to cut the sweetness. So good!
Lynn
February 20, 2018 at 9:16 amCan’t wait to try your recipes have you ever tried to make some recipes gluten free…..my husband and granddaughter have gluten issues….I can always try to bake both ways…..
Sue
February 20, 2018 at 10:53 amHi Lynn ~ yes, I do have quite a few gluten free recipes on the blog, and I plan to do more. I’ve found that when you use a good gf baking mix, like Bob’s Red Mill, for instance, that recipes can often be converted really easily.
Jennifer
January 13, 2017 at 8:19 pmWhat is an appropriate substitute for vanilla bean paste?
Sue
January 13, 2017 at 8:42 pmVanilla extract is fine, Jennifer, use it to taste. I like a lot, so I’d use 2 teaspoons.
Abbe@This is How I Cook
July 13, 2016 at 8:57 pmI want this now, which is why I’ve saved it for so long! Trying it tomorrow! Thanks, Sue!
Nancy Long
June 25, 2016 at 7:56 amSounds wonderful – think Sailor Jerry’s (not Capt. Morgan) Spiced Rum would be great too!
Yolie
May 4, 2016 at 11:10 amI made this and – OMG! Fantastic! The first time I made it I dialed way back on the bourbon in the glaze. The second time I went for it exactly as written. I definitely prefer less bourbon. I used 2 tsps. To me, the taste is more balanced and doesn’t over-power the fabulous bread.
Laura
April 24, 2016 at 11:46 amOkay, I made this recipe today and the bread was fantastic, but 4 tablespoons of bourbon to 1 cup of powdered sugar is NOT a good ratio for the glaze! WAY TOO MUCH bourbon! Maybe 4 TEASPOONS… I just thought it was over powering… And I like bourbon!