This classic banana bread recipe uses only one bowl. Although it's made with whole wheat, it stays moist and bursts with bananay flavor!
Lower your baking rack to the bottom position in the oven (if using a 9x5-inch loaf pan). Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, mash your bananas using a potato masher (preferred) or a fork, until relatively smooth.
Add sugar, oil, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla. Use a whisk to mix until thoroughly combined, although you may still have lumps of banana if your mashed banana wasn't smooth.
Use a rubber spatula to fold in the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined; be sure there are no clumps of dry flour, but don't overmix. Your batter will be lumpy if using the oats. Stir in nuts, if using.
Pour batter into a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Bake on the bottom oven rack at 350F for about 75 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top is getting too dark, cover it with aluminum foil while it finishes baking. (Rotate your pan if you must while the bread bakes, but don't jostle it or it will deflate and be dense and a little gummy.)
Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn the bread out onto a wire cooling rack to let it release remaining steam (or else your bread will be soggy). Cool at least 2 hours before cutting. Cut with a serrated bread knife. Store in an air-tight container.
Divide batter into 24 greased muffin cups, filling about ⅔ full. Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes, checking at 15, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack. (Leaving them in the muffin tin will cause the bottoms to become soggy.)
Banana sizes vary. My bananas usually weigh 19 ounces/546 grams (just over a pound) before peeling, and 12 ounces or between 360-400 grams after peeling.
I always peel and freeze bananas when they become overripe, then save them to make this bread. Pull your bananas from the freezer and thaw completely before mashing.
You can make this bread with only all-purpose flour if you want, but I like adding whole wheat flour and oats to make it healthier. 100% whole wheat flour also works, but your bread may become a bit more dense.
A note on pans: I use a natural aluminum loaf pan that is not non-stick. Glass or dark pans will bake differently. If using glass or very dark pans, reduce the temperature to 325F, and begin testing the bread at 60 minutes baking time. See more on dark vs. light pans here.
Baking this in the evening? Cool completely on a rack, then place back in the loaf pan and cover with a folded kitchen towel. Mine has always been moist the next morning since it hasn't been cut.
You can bake this in two 8x4 inch loaf pans for 60 minutes.
Nutritional information is an estimate based on banana bread made without nuts.
Recipe adapted from the Betty Crocker Cookbook