I’ve been testing this recipe for several years. It’s a favorite of my husband who requests it every time he opens the freezer to a plethora of frozen bananas I’ve stocked away for ‘that yogurt cake’ he likes so much.

One lesson I’ve learned here is that it seems to turn out better when whisked by hand as opposed to using my beloved Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (which is not the case for most of my favorite baked goods). Plus, I decided to use a loaf pan instead of the more traditional bundt pan, and it just seems to bake better in this way.

Whatever works…no?

Note: The dry ingredients don’t have to be sifted unless you want a loaf that’s a little less dense, but there won’t be too much of a noticeable difference whether you do or not.

Banana Blueberry Loaf

Makes about 8 hefty slices

Dry Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 cups pure cane sugar, granulated

Wet Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt, preferably the thick, European style
• 1 cup vegetable OR grapeseed oil. I don’t recommend any strong oils such as olive oil because it tends to take over the flavor of the blueberry and banana. 

Additional Ingredients

• 2 (mature/ripe) frozen bananas, defrosted on the counter for 20-30 minutes or in the microwave for under a minute
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

Directions

1. Measure all dry ingredients into a metal or glass mixing bowl. Set aside.
2. In a separate mixing bowl, measure out the eggs and yogurt. Using a wire whisk, mix together well. Next, add the vegetable oil and whisk again until all three ingredients are well-blended.
3. To the egg-yogurt-oil mixture, add the defrosted bananas by mashing them into the mixture. Then, using a whisk, blend these ingredients.
4. Using 1-2 cups at a time, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Using a wooden spoon or heavy wire whisk, blend all ingredients until there are no lumps.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries, careful not to break any (it will make your batter blue!)
6. Pour mixture into an large, oiled (spray) loaf pan and bake in a preheated 350° oven.
7. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick or flat knife comes out clean from the center and the top is golden brown.
8. Allow to cool before turning out of pan, approximately 30-40 minutes.

This is great for breakfast, served with a pat of butter and a glass of warm milk. But hey, it’s also great as a snack any time of day.