Yogurt Banana Bread with Toasted Walnuts

My youngest child has been requesting banana bread for a couple of weeks now. The other day I made her up this beautiful loaf. No sooner did I bake it, photograph it, and slice it.... it was gone. Too bad I didn't have enough bananas for a double batch!

When making banana bread, make sure you are using very ripe bananas. The riper the better and the sweeter it is. If you have bananas that have gotten very ripe but you aren't ready to bake with them, pop them in the freezer while they are still in their peels. When ready to use, defrost the bananas in the refrigerator and squeeze the mushy ripe banana out of the peel.

The addition of yogurt in this banana bread cuts back on the butter slightly and adds a subtle tang to this deliciously moist bread. Whole wheat flour adds a note of complexity and the added health benefits of some whole grains. You can omit the wheat flour and just use all purpose flour. If you do this, reduce the yogurt to 1/4 cup. I find whole wheat flour requires a bit more moisture than all purpose flour.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does!

Yogurt Banana Bread with Toasted Walnuts
(Adapted from America's Test Kitchen)
((Printable Recipe))


Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
3 large very ripe bananas
1/3 cup whole milk yogurt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a loaf pan by lightly greasing it.

2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and salt with a whisk. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, mash the banana very well with a fork or potato masher. With a wooden spoon, stir in the sugar, yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients and walnuts. Pour into prepared pan.

4. Bake for 55-65 minutes until the center appears done. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Remove from the pan and continue cooling.

Other banana recipes you may enjoy:
Banana Bread French Toast
Browned Butter Strawberry Banana Walnut Bread
Cast Iron Skillet Banana Bread