Go Back

Coffee Cake Banana Bread

Coffee cake banana bread with a thick cinnamon streusel ribbon running through the center and a deeply golden crumb topping. Moist banana loaf baked until set, with a crumbly, cinnamon-sugar crunch on top.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 320
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Coffee cake banana bread batter
  • 3 ripe bananas Mash until mostly smooth.
  • 0.5 cup butter Soften to room temperature.
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup sour cream
Cinnamon streusel topping
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 0.5 cup flour Use for streusel only.
  • 1.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 tbsp cold butter Cubed; keep cold for crumbly texture.
  • 0.5 cup chopped pecans Optional.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prepare the oven and pan
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, so the batter bakes evenly right away.
Make the cinnamon streusel
  1. Mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon until evenly combined, then transfer to a bowl with cold butter cubes.
  2. Cut in cold butter until crumbly, with pea-size bits throughout for a thick coffee cake crumb ribbon texture.
  3. Stir in pecans if using and set the streusel aside at room temperature while you mix the banana batter.
Mix the banana bread batter
  1. Beat softened butter and sugar until fluffy, using the extra air to keep the loaf tender.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas, then mix until smooth and well incorporated.
  3. Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt, alternating with sour cream, and stop as soon as the batter is just combined.
Assemble and bake
  1. Pour half the batter into the loaf pan, then sprinkle half the streusel over it for a center ribbon layer.
  2. Pour the remaining batter on top, then finish with the remaining streusel to blanket the loaf.
  3. Bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out clean and the streusel is deeply golden.

Notes

For the streusel ribbon to stay thick, keep the butter cold while cutting it into the dry ingredients. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; freeze sliced portions up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a plant-based butter and dairy-free sour cream in equal amounts.