Whole Wheat Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas (about 1½ cups mashed)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil (or melted coconut oil)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) plain Greek yogurt
• ⅓ cup (80 ml) maple syrup or honey
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 1½ cups (190 g) whole wheat flour
• Optional: ⅓ cup (55 g) chopped walnuts or pumpkin seeds

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan or line with parchment.

2. 2

   Mash bananas in a large bowl. Whisk in oil, yogurt, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla until smooth.

3. 3

   Sprinkle baking soda, cinnamon, and salt over the wet mixture; stir briefly.

4. 4

   Add whole wheat flour and fold gently until just combined. Whole wheat absorbs liquid faster than white flour, so stop the moment it's hydrated.

5. 5

   Fold in nuts or seeds if using.

6. 6

   Pour into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and let rest on the counter for 5 minutes. This gives the bran time to fully hydrate, which prevents a gritty crumb.

7. 7

   Bake for 50–58 minutes, until a toothpick in the centre comes out clean. Tent with foil at 35 minutes if the top browns too fast.

8. 8

   Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.