Molasses-Oat Banana Bread

I love banana bread.  It's such a great thing to snack on, and....it's...healthy?

....right?

I mean, it has bananas in it.  And bananas are fruit.  And fruit is good for you.  Add oats and whole wheat flour to that equation, and then there's no denying that this bread is healthy.  At least, that's what I've convinced myself.

I really love my Cooking Light magazine that I first mentioned a few posts ago, because it had a big picture of banana bread on the cover.  Inside the issue, there was a feature entirely on banana bread.  And not JUST banana bread, but all different kinds of banana bread!  There was classic banana bread, coconut banana bread, orange banana-nut bread, cardamom banana bread with pistachios, and more.

Last week, I found myself with two overripe bananas, so rather than let them go to waste I decided to try one of the Cooking Light banana bread recipes.  I chose to make the Molasses-Oat Banana Bread, because I happened to have all of the ingredients on hand.

I really enjoyed this variation of banana bread, because the molasses gives it a such a rich, deep flavor, and the addition of oats creates a nice texture.  I also liked the fact that this recipe used whole wheat flour, along with all purpose flour, so it seemed like a healthier choice.  The recipe was very simple to follow, and after baking for one hour, I had a delicious, warm loaf of banana bread.  It's old-fashioned flavor was such a treat, and I will definitely be making this bread again.

Molasses-Oat Banana Bread
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Recipe from Cooking Light magazine - Sept 2003 issue
Yield:  1 loaf (about 14 servings/slices)

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup regular oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup dark molasses
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
Cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° F.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups, level with a knife.  Combine flours, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

Place sugar, butter, and molasses in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended, about 1 minute.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.  Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist.  Spoon batter into an 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350° F for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan.  Cool completely on wire rack.