Classic Banana Bread

Ainekset

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

¾ cup (5¼ ounces) sugar

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon table salt

3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1½ cups)

¼ cup plain yogurt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1¼ cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse

Ohjeet

1. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan; set aside.

2. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl; set aside.

3. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla together with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined and the batter looks thick and chunky. Fold in the walnuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula.

4. Bake until the loaf is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Muistiinpanot

For the best flavor, use bananas that are very ripe.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: Overripe bananas are a good excuse to make banana bread, but the loaf can be dry, heavy, and bland. We wanted a banana bread with deep banana flavor, plenty of moisture, and a nice, light texture.

Very ripe, darkly speckled bananas contributed moisture as well as flavor to this bread (they’re sweeter, too); unripe ones did not work. Pureeing the bananas kept the bread from rising well, so instead we mashed them thoroughly by hand. For additional moisture we included yogurt, which contributed a nice tang without masking the flavor of the bananas. The quick-bread method of mixing—melting the butter and folding the wet ingredients into the dry ones—produced a golden brown loaf and delicate texture; when we tried creaming the butter and sugar first, the bread came out more like butter cake and wasn’t as golden brown. However, we found it was important not to overmix the batter; overly vigorous stirring developed excess gluten that turned the loaf tough and dense.