staying hungry : cinnamon swirl banana bread

Is there anything more comforting than banana bread? Warm out of the oven or cooled with a spread of butter on top? 

Nope. I don't think there is. That's what lured me into the kitchen on Tuesday to make a loaf. It just seemed like a good idea. 

And it was! There's something good that happens when you mix and pour and bake and eat. It's amazing.

I used Sally's recipe for Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread but I omitted the glaze and instead reserved some of the cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top, just to lessen the sugar load of an otherwise respectably healthy bread! Here's her recipe (minus the glaze):

Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread

2 cups white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1  tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 large eggs
1 and 1/2 cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3 bananas)
1/3 cup vanilla greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon Swirl

1/4 cup sugar + 1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x5 bread pan with cooking spray and set aside. 

1. Prepare the cinnamon swirl in a small dish and set aside.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

3. Mash bananas and incorporate the yogurt and vanilla in a medium bowl and set aside. 

4. Beat brown sugar and butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add eggs one at a time until well-mixed. Slowly beat in banana mixture. Next, stir in the flour mixture in thirds, being careful not to over-mix. 

5. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and top with 3/4 of the cinnamon sugar. Pour the rest of the batter into the pan and top with the remaining cinnamon sugar. 

6. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out of the middle clean. 

And then enjoy! It won't be hard to do!