Salted caramel banana bread is a moist, cinnamon-kissed banana loaf made with brown sugar, butter and sour cream, then finished with a quick homemade salted caramel glaze that drips down the sides and sets into a soft, fudgy layer. One loaf makes 10 slices; it takes 15 minutes to mix and about an hour to bake.
How to make it: Cream the butter and brown sugar, beat in the eggs, then the sour cream, mashed bananas and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt just until combined and bake at 350°F for 55 to 60 minutes. Boil brown sugar and butter for a minute, add cream, whisk in powdered sugar and kosher salt, and pour it over the cooled loaf.
Why You’ll Love It
- Extra moist: four ripe bananas and sour cream keep the crumb tender.
- Salted caramel glaze: sweet, buttery and balanced with a pinch of kosher salt.
- Cinnamon warmth: a little spice makes it taste like a bakery loaf.
- Great for gifting: it looks special and travels well.
How to Make Caramel Glaze for Banana Bread
The glaze is a quick stovetop caramel. Melt 1/4 cup brown sugar with 2 tablespoons butter and let it boil for about a minute until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the cream and take it off the heat, then whisk in the powdered sugar and kosher salt until smooth. Let it cool for a few minutes so it thickens slightly, then pour it over the completely cooled loaf so it clings instead of soaking in. It sets into a soft, fudge-like layer as it cools.
Ingredient Notes
Bananas: 4 ripe bananas, mashed. The spottier they are, the sweeter the bread.
Butter and brown sugar: 1/2 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup packed brown sugar for a caramel-like flavor in the bread itself.
Sour cream: 1/3 cup for moisture and a slight tang.
Dry ingredients: 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Eggs and vanilla: 2 large eggs and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla.
Glaze: 1/4 cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons heavy cream, 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.
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Ingredients
For the banana bread
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 4 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the salted caramel glaze
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
How to Make Salted Caramel Banana Bread
1. Prepare the pan. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
3. Cream. In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup softened butter. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
4. Add bananas. Mix in 1/3 cup sour cream, 4 mashed bananas, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat until fully combined.
5. Combine. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
6. Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute until the sugar dissolves. Stir in 2 tablespoons heavy cream and remove from heat. Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until smooth.
8. Glaze. Allow the glaze to cool slightly (about 5 minutes). Pour the glaze over the cooled banana bread, letting it drizzle down the sides.
9. Serve. Slice and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea for the ultimate treat!
Tips for the Best Banana Bread
- Use very ripe bananas. Brown-speckled or even black bananas give the most flavor.
- Don’t overmix. Stir in the flour just until it disappears.
- Test the center. Banana bread can look done outside before the middle is set; use a toothpick.
- Tent with foil if needed. If the top browns too fast, cover it loosely for the last part of baking.
- Cool before glazing. Glaze on a warm loaf melts and soaks in.
Variations
- Nuts: fold chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter, or sprinkle them over the glaze.
- Toffee bits: scatter them over the wet glaze.
- Chocolate chips: fold in a handful.
- Store-bought caramel: warm a jar of salted caramel sauce and drizzle it over instead.
- Muffins: bake in a lined muffin tin, checking early.
If you like the caramel in this banana bread, you might enjoy Monkey Bread and its buttery brown sugar syrup.
If you enjoy salted caramel, Homemade Caramel Sauce has a pinch of salt alongside butter and cream.
Storage
Keep leftovers covered in an airtight container. Wrap slices individually and freeze them for longer storage; thaw at room temperature.
What to Serve With It
Serve slices with coffee or tea, or warm a slice and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert.
More banana and caramel bakes: chocolate banana bread, Hawaiian banana bread with macadamia nuts, banana bread brownies, apple pecan cake with caramel glaze, homemade caramel cake and salted caramel Kentucky butter cake.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make caramel glaze for banana bread?
Boil brown sugar and butter for a minute, stir in cream, then whisk in powdered sugar and a pinch of salt.
Can I use store-bought caramel?
Yes. Warm salted caramel sauce and drizzle it over the cooled loaf.
How ripe should the bananas be?
Very ripe, with lots of brown spots.
Why is my banana bread gummy?
It was underbaked or overmixed. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Can I freeze it?
Yes. Freeze slices wrapped tightly; add the glaze after thawing if you prefer.
Final Notes
Use spotty bananas, mix gently and glaze the loaf once it’s cool. If you add pecans or toffee bits, tell me in the comments how it turned out.
Salted Caramel Banana Bread: A Decadent Twist on a Classic Treat
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar for banana bread
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 4 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar for glaze
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter for glaze
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
- 1/3 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat together 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup softened butter. Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in 1/3 cup sour cream, 4 mashed bananas, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir gently just until combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 tablespoons butter. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute until the sugar dissolves. Stir in 2 tablespoons heavy cream and remove from heat. Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until smooth.
- Allow the glaze to cool slightly (about 5 minutes). Pour the glaze over the cooled banana bread, letting it drizzle down the sides.
- Slice and enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea for the ultimate treat!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
