Chai Cardamom Banana Bread
My favorite recipe for overripe bananas
This is the loaf I make when the bananas on the counter have gone too far — warm chai spice, plenty of cardamom, and that classic banana-bread comfort. Soft, fragrant, and easy enough for a weeknight.
Prep: 15 minutes
Bake: 55–65 minutes
Total: About 1 hour 20 minutes
Yield: 1 loaf (8×8 pan or 9×5 loaf pan)
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3–4 bananas)
- ⅓ cup sour cream or whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8×8-inch baking dish (like the one in the photo) or a 9×5 loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until combined.
- Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the mashed bananas and sour cream. Mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix. Fold in nuts if using.
- Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 55–65 minutes for a loaf pan, or 35–45 minutes for an 8×8 dish, until the top is golden, the center is set, and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then slice and serve warm or at room temperature.
