Name: Toaster-Oven Banana Bread
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups (10 ounces/283 grams) all-purpose flour; ¾ cup (5¼ ounces/149 grams) sugar; ¾ teaspoon baking soda; ½ teaspoon table salt; 3 very ripe bananas; ¼ cup plain yogurt; 2 large eggs , lightly beaten; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and cooled; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1¼ cup walnuts , toasted and chopped coarse (optional)

Why This Recipe Works

Overripe bananas are a good excuse to make banana bread, and your toaster oven is just the right size for baking up exactly one loaf. This version is unfussy but comes with deep banana flavor. We skipped pureeing the bananas and instead mashed them by hand. For additional moisture, we whisked in yogurt. which contributed a nice tang without masking the flavor of the bananas. When testing, creaming the butter and sugar together produced bread that came out more like a butter cake, so we opted not to and instead streamlined the process further by simply whisking the sugar into the dry ingredients and melted butter into the wet ingredients. A few quick stirs to combine the wet and dry ingredients kept the bread fluffy, and the final loaf was warm, golden brown, and delicately sweet.

Before You Begin

For best flavor, use bananas that are very ripe. The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8½ by 4½ inches; if you use a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes earlier than advised in the recipe.

Instructions

Adjust toaster oven rack to lowest position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 8½- by 4½-inch loaf pan. Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl.

Using a potato masher or back of fork, mash bananas in medium bowl until mostly smooth. Whisk in yogurt, eggs, butter, and vanilla until well combined. Pour banana mixture into flour mixture and stir until just combined with some streaks of flour remaining. Gently fold in walnuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared loaf pan and smooth top.

Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out clean, 55 minutes to 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let bread cool in pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto wire rack and continue to let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.