The Best Banana Bread

Banana bread is one of the most beloved quick breads. Delicious served warm out of the oven with some butter and coffee in the morning, or equally well received as an after school snack! This is a great recipe, one that will become covered in batter over the years but always yielding a perfect loaf.

Greasing and flouring only the bottom of a regular loaf pan causes the bread to cling to the sides and rise higher. If using a nonstick loaf pan, grease and flour sides as well as the bottom.

Makes one 9-inch loaf

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3/4 of a cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 of a teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 a teaspoon table salt
• 1 and one quarters cups toasted walnuts, chopped coarse (about 1 cup)
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 and a half cups)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs, beaten lightly
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. Combine first five ingredients together in large bowl; set aside.

2. Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla with wooden spoon in medium bowl. Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.