Chai-Spiced Banana Bread
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Infused with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and allspice, this chai-spiced banana bread is a lovely twist on basic banana bread.
Chai is the actual word for tea in many countries but when we say chai in the States, we’re usually referring to Masala chai, which is a smooth and calming beverage made of black tea, milk, and fragrant Indian spices. Its flavor goes beautifully with banana bread, so I’ve taken one of my favorite banana bread recipes and subtly infused it with warm chai spices like cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.
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“This is my favorite banana bread recipe on your site! I think the spices and the sour cream really make it great! I served it at a get together and got so many compliments on it…Yum!”
What You’ll Need To Make Chai-Spiced Banana Bread
As with all banana bread recipes, use very ripe bananas for the most intense banana flavor and a texture that mashes easily.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Begin by creaming the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.
Incorporating well after each addition.
In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
Whisk well.
Add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
Mix to blend.
Add the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla.
Mix well.
Transfer the batter to a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan.
Bake for 60-70 minutes. Let cool in the pan for about ten minutes.
Then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
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Chai-Spiced Banana Bread
Infused with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and allspice, this chai-spiced banana bread is a lovely twist on basic banana bread.
Ingredients
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off with a knife
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas, from 2-3 bananas
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl or electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Add to the butter mixture and beat gently until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream and vanilla and mix on low speed until just combined. Gently stir in nuts if using.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake until deep golden brown and cake tester inserted into center comes out clean, 60-70 minutes. Let rest in pan for about 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack to cool completely. This bread is best enjoyed warm out of the oven or toasted.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Serving size: 1 slice (without nuts)
- Calories: 232
- Fat: 11g
- Saturated fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Sugar: 19 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Sodium: 271 mg
- Cholesterol: 56 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Jenn, again another perfect recipe! Thank you for sharing it with us! This bread tastes so good and it’s perfectly soft.
Everyone in the family likes it.
I couldn’t wait to try this mixture of not banana bread and chai spice. I haven’t been disappointed in a recipe so far and this one was no exception. It was perfectly balanced and moist. So yummy!
Made this recipe today. My family loved it. Really nice flavour – even my kids enjoyed. I followed the instructions & was perfect!!! I didn’t add walnuts since our kids aren’t fans at this point :).
Does anyone know if this bread can be frozen? I baked 3 loaves this morning, only to learn that the event I was bringing them to has been postponed by 2 weeks. Thanks in advance! (By the way–this bread is AMAZING! Better than any other banana bread I’ve ever had! I added 1/8 teaspoon of ground cloves–because I always add cloves to my masala chai–but everything else I do as written, and it’s perfection.)
Perfectly fine to freeze — and glad you like it!
Thank you for the kindness of a reply! I truly do love this bread as well as so many other recipes from your site. When people compliment one of my dishes, I often have to direct them to OUAC because it’s usually your doing, not mine. Wishing you even greater success! Iraida
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Great banana bread! The flavor is amazing and next time I will add the optional nuts for texture.
Made this a second time using chopped walnuts. Doubled the recipe, and made into muffins. Yielded 30 muffins.
Hey Jen, love this recipe, but I used butter to grease my tin and unfortunately the whole bottom of the bread stuck. I rested the loaf for 10 mins as suggested. Aside from using spray is there anything else you could suggest to stop it sticking? Thanks!
Hi Louise, sorry to hear the bread stuck to the pan! Did you butter and flour it? If you didn’t use flour as well, I’d suggest that next time (or you could use a cooking spray with flour like this one.
Thanks Jen, will try that! Do you flour the tin after the butter?
Yep!
I had done minicakes with your French apple cake recipe (delicious!) after baking the cake itself multiple times and have done the same with the chai banana bread. One word: amazing. I love making minicakes (with minicupcake or minimuffin tins) because it makes it super easy to bring to work and share without the fuss of cutting. Plus mini cakes also mean more crust! and the crust on this is delicious! If you want to try it as minicakes cut the baking time to 30 min. 1/2 the recipe makes for 18 minicakes.
I finally made this delicious bread after Thanksgiving. It’s moist, nutty and the subtle chai spice flavor is amazing. I used Greek yogurt instead of sour cream mainly because we had some on hand but also for the reduced calories. So good! I will make it again and again — always with Greek yogurt. Thanks for another winning recipe, Jennifer!
HEAVEN on earth!
What more can I say, except….AGAIN another wonderful basic recipe tweaked to a level that makes EVERYONE want the recipe!!
So delicious from oven, cooled (if u can wait) and the next day (but it won’t last). Better double this recipe!!
Would you have any high altitude adjustments or suggestions for this bread? I’m at 8,500 feet.
Thank you! Once Upon a Chef is my absolute favorite and first go-to – never disappoints.
Hi Susan, so glad you enjoy the recipes! I don’t have any experience with high altitute baking but these conversion tips may be helpul. Hope you enjoy the bread!