Classic Banana Bread

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This versatile bread is the perfect on-the-go breakfast, gift for a host, or holiday gift. Top it with whatever you like, and even throw some additional ingredients like chocolate chips. It's the bread that everyone can get behind.  Banana bread should form a crack down the center as it bakes--a sign the baking soda is doing its job. Serve toasted with a smear of cream cheese, Greek yogurt or peanut butter and top with mixed nuts, if desired.

Classic Banana Bread recipe
Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs
Servings:
14
Yield:
1 loaf
Nutrition Profile:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • 1 cup sugar

  • ¼ cup butter, softened

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 ½ cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

  • cup plain low-fat yogurt

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Cooking spray

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

  2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stirring with a whisk.

  3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.

  4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Variations to Try

Marble it. Stir 1 cup batter and 1/2 cup melted semisweet chocolate chips together in a small bowl. Spoon plain batter into pan, alternating with dollops of chocolate-chip batter. Drag a knife through batter to swirl. Bake as directed. Berry it. Fold 1 cup fresh blueberries into batter. Bake as directed. French-toast it. Cut bread into 3/4-inch slices. Toast until slightly crisp on both sides. Whisk together 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp. milk, ground cinnamon and nutmeg to taste as well as a pinch of salt in a shallow bowl. Dip bread in mixture, let excess drip off, then fry, turning once, in a nonstick skillet lightly coated with vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Chocolate-chip it. Fold 1 cup dark chocolate chips into batter. Bake as directed. Streusel it. Combine 2 Tbsp. rolled oats, 2 Tbsp. flour, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 Tbsp. butter, melted, and 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg in a medium bowl. Divide batter among 12 paper-lined muffin cups. Top with streusel. Bake at 350°F until done, about 25 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

187 Calories
4g Fat
34g Carbs
3g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 14
Serving Size 1 slice
Calories 187
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 34g 12%
Protein 3g 6%
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 40mg 13%
Sodium 198mg 9%
Calcium 20mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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