From “The Best Recipe,” by the editors of Cook’s Illustrated magazine, this is writer Jennifer Starbuck’s favorite bread and is great with jam and butter. Tested at Denver’s altitude, makes 1 loaf.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
3 very ripe, soft, darkly speckled large bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour bottom only of regular loaf pan, or grease and flour bottom and sides of nonstick loaf pan; set aside.
Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda and salt together in large bowl. Stir in walnuts.
Mix mashed bananas, yogurt, eggs, butter and vanilla with wooden spoon in medium bowl. Lightly fold banana mixture into dry ingredients with rubber spatula until just combined and batter looks thick and chunky.
Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan; bake until loaf is golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 55 minutes.
Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
