Ingredients

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup (80g) plain Greek yogurt or full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 3–4 ripe bananas)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• optional: 3/4 cup (90g) chopped pecans or walnuts, or 1 cup (180g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F (177°C). This placement helps the loaf bake evenly without the top browning too quickly. Prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan by coating it with nonstick spray and set it aside.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until evenly mixed, then set aside.
3. In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until the mixture becomes light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
4. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl when necessary. Mix in the yogurt, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas until everything is incorporated.
5. Add the prepared dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Beat on low speed just until everything is combined. Avoid overmixing. If using them, gently fold in the nuts or chocolate chips. The finished batter will be fairly thick.
6. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 60–65 minutes, loosely covering the pan with aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent excessive browning.
7. The loaf is finished when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with only a few moist crumbs attached.
8. Let the bread cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Afterward, remove it from the pan and place it directly on the rack to cool completely before slicing.

• Keep the bread tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate it for up to 1 week.