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A sliced loaf of moist banana bread topped with a thick, golden salted caramel glaze and a sprinkle of sea salt on a white marble surface.
Summer Dempsey

Salted Carmel Banana Bread

This salted caramel banana bread is soft, moist, and full of cozy flavor, with ripe bananas, buttery caramel notes, and a hint of salt to balance the sweetness. Finished with a tender crumb topping, it bakes up rich and bakery-worthy—perfect for breakfast, snacking, or an easy dessert.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 350

Ingredients
  

For the bread:
  • 3 ripe bananas about 1 ¼ cups mashed
  • ½ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • ⅓ cup thick caramel sauce store-bought or homemade
For the cocoa streusel topping:
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 3 tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
  • Pinch of flaky sea salt

Equipment

  • Whisk
  • Bowl
  • Bread Pan

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a loaf pan.
  2. Combine flour, brown sugar, cocoa, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly; chill.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk bananas, butter, sugars, eggs, and vanilla.
  4. Stir in caramel sauce and sour cream.
  5. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt separately. Add to wet ingredients and fold gently.
  6. Pour half the batter into the pan; drizzle caramel if desired. Add remaining batter.
  7. Sprinkle cocoa streusel over top.
  8. Bake 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
  9. Cool 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
  10. Optional: drizzle with more caramel and sprinkle flaky sea salt before serving.

Notes

 

  • Banana ripeness matters: Use deeply speckled, very ripe bananas for the best sweetness and moisture. Under-ripe bananas will make the bread less flavorful and slightly dense.
  • Caramel consistency: Use a thick caramel sauce so it swirls into the batter instead of sinking. If your caramel is very thin, chill it briefly before using.
  • Don’t overmix: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until combined. Overmixing will lead to a tougher crumb instead of that soft, bakery-style texture.
  • Streusel tip: Keep the cocoa streusel cold until right before baking. Cold butter helps create those chunky, crisp crumbs instead of melting into the bread.
  • Pan size: A standard 9×5-inch loaf pan works best. If using a smaller pan, expect a longer bake time and tent loosely with foil if the top browns too quickly.