Banana Bread (Moist & Lighter)

A moist banana bread that uses Greek yogurt to reduce the fat while keeping it tender.

Ingredients

• 400 g very ripe banana, weighed without skin (the browner the better)
• 115 g (1/2 cup) plain Greek yogurt
• 75 ml (1/3 cup) neutral oil (canola or sunflower)
• 2 large eggs
• 150 g (3/4 cup) brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease or line a 23x13 cm (9x5 inch) loaf pan.
2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Stir in yogurt, oil, eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla until well combined.
3. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold gently until just combined — do not overmix.
4. Pour batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
5. Bake for 55–65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Tips

• How ripe is too ripe? The best bananas for this bread have fully brown/black skins and flesh that is soft, brown-spotted, or even turning brown throughout — this is just starch converting to sugar and some natural oxidation. They taste sweeter and mash effortlessly. They are unpleasant to eat raw but perfect for baking. Only throw them away if you see actual mold or they smell fermented/alcoholic.
• You can replace the oil with 75 g more yogurt for an even lighter version, but the texture will be slightly denser.
• Stores well wrapped at room temperature for 3 days, or freeze slices for up to 3 months.