Preparation:

Step 1: Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Loaf Pan

Before you start mixing your ingredients, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick cooking spray, and lightly dust it with flour, or you can line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the bread once baked.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using). Set the bowl aside while you prepare the wet ingredients. This ensures that all the dry ingredients are evenly distributed, so you don’t get pockets of baking soda or cinnamon in your bread.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed. Beat the mixture until it’s light and fluffy, which should take about 3-5 minutes. This step helps incorporate air into the batter, contributing to the fluffiness of the banana bread.

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

To the creamed butter and sugar mixture, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and sour cream (or Greek yogurt). Mix until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this point.

Step 5: Combine the Dry Ingredients with the Wet Ingredients

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula or the electric mixer on low speed. Stir until just combined. Overmixing can result in dense banana bread, so be sure to stop as soon as you no longer see flour streaks.

Step 6: Add the Optional Add-ins

If desired, fold in the chopped walnuts or chocolate chips for added texture and flavor. These optional ingredients give the bread extra crunch and richness, but feel free to leave them out if you prefer a simpler loaf.

Step 7: Prepare the Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

In a small bowl, combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping. This will create that signature snickerdoodle flavor when sprinkled over the top of the banana bread before baking.

Step 8: Pour and Top the Batter

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture generously over the top of the batter, ensuring that the surface is covered with a light, sweet, and spiced coating.

Step 9: Bake the Bread

Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. If the bread begins to brown too much on top before it’s fully baked, you can cover it loosely with aluminum foil for the remaining baking time.

Step 10: Cool and Serve

Once baked, remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy once cooled down.