Olive Oil Banana Bread

Ingredients

• 4 Bananas, very ripe, mashed
• ⅜ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup Unsweetened applesauce
• ½ cup Brown sugar
• 2 Eggs (large)
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 cup Whole wheat flour
• ¾ cup All-purpose flour
• 1 tsp Baking soda
• ½ tsp Baking powder
• 1 ½ tsp Ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• ½ cup Walnuts, chopped (optional)
• ½ cup Dark chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Heat oven to 350°F and line a loaf pan. Use bananas that look ruined — black skins, soft to the touch. Underripe bananas are the reason most banana bread is bland.
2. Mash the bananas in a big bowl, then whisk in oil, applesauce, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
3. Add both flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt on top. Fold until barely combined — lumps are fine, overmixing makes it tough.
4. Fold in walnuts and chocolate chips if using. Scrape into the pan.
5. Bake 55-65 minutes until a skewer in the centre comes out with a few damp crumbs. Tent with foil at 40 minutes if it is browning fast.
6. Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then completely on a rack before slicing. It slices cleanly cold and messily warm.

Notes

✨ The restaurant touch

A scattering of turbinado sugar over the batter before baking gives a crackly top worth a dollar more at the table.

🧒 For the kids

This is the recipe to hand over entirely. Mashing bananas is the best job in the kitchen and there is nothing sharp or hot until the pan goes in.

🌿 From the garden

None.

🥡 Leftovers

4 days wrapped, 3 months frozen. Slice before freezing and take one out at a time.

Per serving

Computed from USDA FoodData Central values. A planning tool, not medical advice.