Wife-approved. That's the only review that matters.
What You Need
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup plain yogurt ← the move
- 1½ cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup walnuts, roughly chopped
The Method
Mash the bananas well — the riper the better, brown spots are ideal. Whisk in melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and yogurt until smooth.
Fold in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Don't overmix — stop when you don't see dry streaks. Fold in the walnuts last.
Pour into a greased loaf pan. Convection 325°F for 60-70 minutes. Standard oven 350°F works too — convection 325° is the same effective heat with better air circulation.
Done when a toothpick in the center comes out clean. The top will crack down the middle — that's not a mistake, that's how you know it rose right.
Why Yogurt?
Most banana bread recipes stop at butter and eggs. The yogurt adds a subtle tang and keeps the crumb moist for days without making it dense. ¼ cup is all it takes.
Let it cool in the pan 10 minutes before turning out. Or don't — slice it warm, that's fine too.