Name: Banana Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 1 loaf (8 servings)
Ingredients: Nonstick vegetable oil spray; 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour; 1¼ tsp. baking soda; ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt; 1 cup (200 g; packed) dark brown sugar; ⅓ cup mascarpone, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream; 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 large eggs; 4 large very ripe bananas, peeled, mashed (about 1½ cups); ½ cup chopped bittersweet or semisweet chocolate (optional); ½ cup chopped raw walnuts (optional)

Method

8 steps

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly coat an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the dark brown sugar, mascarpone, Greek yogurt or sour cream, and room-temperature butter in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Add the mashed bananas and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and/or walnuts, if using.
Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 60–65 minutes, until a tester inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool the bread in the pan for 1 hour. Lift it out using the parchment and allow it to cool before slicing.