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Vanilla Pudding Banana Bread

Vanilla pudding banana bread with an almost custardy, extra-moist interior thanks to instant vanilla pudding mix. Tender, dense slices with a deeply golden crust stay soft for days—an easy banana bread hack you’ll want on repeat.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 360
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana Bread
  • 3 ripe bananas Mashed until mostly smooth, with a few small lumps for texture.
  • 1 can (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix Use dry mix only (not prepared pudding).
  • 1 cup butter Softened to room temperature so it creams smoothly.
  • 0.75 cup sugar For sweetness and a tender crumb.
  • 2 large eggs Room temperature helps the batter stay cohesive.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Adds classic vanilla aroma to the custardy interior.
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour Stir in gently to avoid overmixing.
  • 1 tsp baking soda Leavening for a soft, bread-like rise.
  • 0.5 tsp salt Balances sweetness.
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon Warm spice for banana bread flavor.
  • 0.5 cup sour cream Keeps the loaf extra tender and moist.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and mix
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan, making sure the corners are coated for easy release.
  2. Beat softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, using steady mixing to aerate for a tender crumb.
  3. Beat in eggs, vanilla extract, and the instant vanilla pudding mix until the batter looks evenly combined.
  4. Stir in mashed bananas and sour cream until fully incorporated, scraping the sides so no dry pudding mix remains.
  5. Fold in all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon until just combined, stopping as soon as the flour disappears to avoid toughness.
Bake and cool
  1. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top so it bakes evenly.
  2. Bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F until the top is deeply golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  3. Cool for 15 minutes before unmolding, so the interior sets into a custardy, sliceable crumb.

Notes

Pro tip: use very ripe bananas (yellow with a few brown spots) and avoid overmixing after adding flour for that soft, tender bite. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lower-fat option, you can substitute low-fat sour cream (texture will be slightly less rich, but still tender).