Ingredients

• for pan nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 1 1/2 cups (188 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup mascarpone, whole-milk Greek yogurt, or sour cream
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 4 large (about 1 1/2 cups) very ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/2 cup chopped chocolate (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts (optional)

Instructions

1. 1Preheat oven to 350°F, spray and line an 8.5x4.5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
2. 2Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
3. 3Beat brown sugar, mascarpone (or yogurt/sour cream), and butter until fluffy, then mix in eggs one at a time.
4. 4Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, then fold in mashed bananas and optional mix-ins.
5. 5Pour batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake 60-65 minutes until a tester comes out clean.
6. 6Cool in the pan for 1 hour, then transfer to a rack to cool completely before slicing.