Coffee Cake Banana Bread with Cinnamon Streusel

This coffee cake banana bread takes two cozy baked goods and puts them together in one loaf. A soft, moist banana bread base gets covered with a buttery cinnamon crumb that bakes up crunchy and sweet.

It fills your kitchen with that bakery smell and comes together with very little fuss on a weekend morning. No mixer drama, no yeast to wait for, just good banana bread topped like a crumb cake.

What Makes This Banana Bread So Good

The crumb topping is what sets it apart. It’s the same kind of buttery, sandy streusel you’d find on a coffee cake, and it gives every slice a little crisp edge against the tender crumb.

The loaf stays moist for days thanks to the sour cream and plenty of banana. It’s one of those baked goods that actually improves overnight, so you can make it ahead and have breakfast waiting.

I like it just as much with a cup of coffee on a slow morning as I do wrapped up for an afternoon snack. It never feels heavy, just lightly sweet and warmly spiced.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled
• 1 tsp baking soda:
• 1/2 tsp salt:
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon:
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened: let it sit out for 30 minutes
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar:
• 2 large eggs: at room temperature if you remember, but cold works too
• 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3 medium): the spottier the better
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt: full-fat or low-fat both work
• 1 tsp vanilla extract:

For the streusel topping:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour: spoon and level
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar:
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon:
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces:
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional):

Variations / Substitutions

• Gluten-free: swap in a 1 to 1 gluten-free baking flour blend, one that contains xanthan gum
• Dairy-free: use vegan butter sticks and a thick dairy-free yogurt or sour cream alternative
• Nut-free: just leave the nuts out of the streusel, or replace them with a handful of old-fashioned rolled oats for a different crunch
• Add-ins: fold in a half cup of chocolate chips or blueberries along with the dry ingredients if you want something extra
• Spice it up: a quarter teaspoon of nutmeg or cardamom added with the cinnamon gives the loaf a little more warmth

If you’re in the mood for a classic coffee cake with a ribbon of cinnamon sugar instead of banana, try my Sour Cream Coffee Cake.

How To Make Coffee Cake Banana Bread

Step 1: Mix the Streusel

In a small bowl, combine the 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in the 3 tablespoons cold butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture looks like wet sand with pea-sized clumps. Stir in the nuts if you’re using them, then set the bowl aside.

Those little uneven clumps are what turn into crispy nuggets on top, so don’t break everything down too fine. A few larger butter pieces are a good sign.

Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Set this aside.

This mix will get folded into the wet ingredients later. The cinnamon in the batter gives the bread a warm backbone that pairs with the sweet topping instead of competing with it.

Step 3: Cream the Wet Mixture

In a large bowl, beat the 1/2 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Mix in the mashed bananas, 1/4 cup sour cream, and vanilla until combined. The batter may look a little curdled at this point, and that’s completely fine.

That slight separation comes from the wet bananas hitting the creamed butter. It smooths right out as soon as you add the dry ingredients.

Step 4: Fold the Batter Together

Tip the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir gently with a spatula, stopping as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain. A few small lumps are okay. Overmixing here leads to a tough, rubbery loaf, so a light hand is your friend.

The batter should be thick and flecked with banana. It won’t pour like cake batter, and that’s exactly how you want it.

Step 5: Assemble and Bake the Loaf

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the surface, pressing down gently so it sticks.

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The streusel will turn deep golden and fill your kitchen with a buttery cinnamon smell. If the topping browns too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil after about 45 minutes.

Step 6: Cool and Slice the Loaf

Let the bread rest in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Then turn it out onto the rack and let it cool completely before slicing. A serrated knife cuts through the crisp top without tearing the tender crumb underneath.

Slicing while the loaf is still warm is tempting, but it will crumble. A little patience here gives you clean slices. The flavor deepens after a day, so leftover slices are even more fragrant and moist.

A Few Notes Before You Start

• The bananas should be heavily speckled or even black. If your bananas are only yellow, you can speed things up by roasting them in the skin at 300°F for 15 minutes, then mashing.
• Spoon your flour into the measuring cup and level it with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much flour and makes the bread dry.
• Let the bread cool completely before slicing. The crumb sets as it cools, so cutting too early will leave you with a gummy, squished center.
• The streusel topping is easiest to mix with your fingers. If the butter starts to soften, pop the bowl into the fridge for a few minutes.
• For the most even baking, resist opening the oven door during the first 40 minutes.

Bake times by pan size; the loaf is done when a toothpick comes out clean or the center reads 200 to 205°F (93 to 96°C).

Storing Leftover Banana Bread

• Room temperature: Wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. It stays moist for up to 4 days on the counter.
• Freeze: Wrap whole or sliced in plastic, then foil, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
• Reheating: A slice warmed in a toaster oven for a few minutes brings the streusel back to life. The microwave works in a pinch but the topping loses some crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen bananas?

Yes. Thaw them completely and drain off any liquid before mashing, or the batter will be too wet. Measure the bananas after draining.

Can I make muffins instead?

Sure. Divide the batter among a greased 12-cup muffin pan, top with the streusel, and bake at 350°F for 18 to 22 minutes. Start checking at 18 minutes with a toothpick.

My streusel sank into the batter. What happened?

The batter might have been a bit thin, or the pan was overfilled. Make sure you’re using the right size pan and that the batter is well mounded in the center before adding the streusel. A gentle press helps it stick without sinking.

Can I reduce the sugar?

You can drop the granulated sugar by 2 tablespoons without harming the texture, but the streusel sugar is what makes the topping crisp. Less brown sugar there will give you a softer top.

Can I use whole wheat flour?

You can replace up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. The loaf will be a little denser and nuttier, but still good. Using all whole wheat tends to make it heavy.

Coffee Cake Banana Bread Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 380

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (for streusel)
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (for streusel)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (for streusel)
• 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces (for streusel)
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, optional (for streusel)

Method

 

1. Make the streusel: in a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until crumbly, then stir in nuts if using. Set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking soda, salt, and 1 tsp cinnamon. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in bananas, sour cream, and vanilla.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently, just until no flour streaks remain.
5. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. Pour batter into the pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle the streusel evenly over it, pressing gently.
6. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

If the topping browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with foil after about 45 minutes. The flavor of the bread deepens overnight, so it’s a great make-ahead treat. Let it cool entirely before wrapping or freezing.