Another Banana Recipe

Who doesn't need a simple and delicious banana bread recipe in their arsenal, right? This one from The America's Test Kitchen Cookbook lives up to its name. It comes together quickly and what you end up with is a classic loaf of banana bread. It's important to use bananas that are as ripe as possible  for the best flavor and not to overbake it. I baked it as a large loaf and also as mini-loaves which is what's shown here in the pictures. The original recipe uses yogurt, but I happened to have sour cream on hand, so that's what I used. I also omitted the walnuts because I like my banana bread nut-free, but add in whatever you like. The recipe originally called for 1 1/4 cups of walnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped.

Classic Banana Bread
Recipe from America's Test Kitchen
Makes one 9 inch loaf

2 cups(10 oz) all purpose flour
3/4 cup(5 1/4 oz) granulated sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3 large overripe bananas, mashed(about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt/sour cream
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 tbsp unsalted butter(3/4 stick), melted/cooled
1 tsp vanilla extract

Add ins:

Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Shredded Coconut, etc.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg F. Prepare a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan, grease and flour or line with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix the mashed bananas, yogurt or sour cream, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract together in another bowl. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a spatula until just combined. Fold in any add-ins.

Scrape into loaf pan and bake about 55 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.