Very ripe bananas, oats, and yogurt produce a moist loaf with clear substitution guidance and reliable doneness checks.
Recipe overview
| Servings | 10 |
|---|---|
| Yield | One 9 × 5-inch / 23 × 13 cm loaf |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 50–60 minutes |
| Total time | 85 minutes including cooling |
| Difficulty | Beginner |
Why this method works: banana and yogurt supply moisture while resting batter briefly lets oats hydrate before baking.
Equipment
- 9 × 5-inch loaf pan
- Two bowls
- Whisk and spatula
- Thermometer optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup / 90 g rolled oats
- 1 cup / 125 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 very ripe bananas, 1¼ cups / 300 g mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup / 80 ml neutral oil
- ⅓ cup / 65 g brown sugar
- ¼ cup / 60 g plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Preparation
- Heat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
- Line loaf pan with parchment sling.
- Mash bananas until mostly smooth.
Step-by-step directions
- Whisk oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Whisk banana, eggs, oil, sugar, yogurt, and vanilla separately.
- Fold wet into dry only until no flour streaks remain.
- Rest batter 10 minutes, then spread in pan.
- Bake 50–60 minutes, tenting loosely if top browns early.
- Loaf is done when center reaches about 200–205°F / 93–96°C or a tester has moist crumbs, not batter.
- Cool 15 minutes in pan, then at least 1 hour on rack.
How to tell it is ready
Center is set, loaf springs lightly, and slices hold together after full cooling.
Substitutions and variations
- Use melted butter instead of oil.
- Use unsweetened soy yogurt for dairy-free bread.
- Replace up to half flour with whole-wheat flour; add 1 tablespoon milk if batter is very stiff.
Common problems
- Gummy center: bananas exceeded measured amount or loaf was cut hot.
- Dense loaf: batter was overmixed.
- Sunken center: loaf was underbaked or baking soda overmeasured.
Allergen and safety notes
Contains eggs, wheat, and milk unless substituted. Do not taste raw batter.
Storage and reheating
Keep covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate 4 days. Freeze individual slices up to 2 months. Thaw refrigerated and warm gently.
Serving ideas
Toast slices lightly and serve with yogurt or nut butter if appropriate.
Nutrition varies substantially with substitutions and is not stated without a verified calculation.
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