Very Moist Berry Banana Bread

This banana bread takes a lighter approach than the butter-heavy classics. Whipped egg whites stand in for whole eggs, margarine replaces butter, and a generous cup of fresh berries joins the mashed bananas for double the fruit. The result is a tender, almost cake-like loaf that’s noticeably lower in fat without tasting like a compromise.

Whipped egg whites do double duty here. They lighten the texture and add the binding usually provided by whole eggs. Whip them just to soft peaks (not stiff) before mixing in. Stiff peaks deflate too easily during folding and won’t blend evenly with the rest of the batter.

The single cup of fresh berries adds bursts of tart flavor that cut the sweetness of the bananas. Blueberries are classic, but raspberries and chopped strawberries work too. Frozen berries can replace fresh, but toss them in a tablespoon of flour first to keep them from bleeding through the batter.

Don’t overmix the batter once dry meets wet. Stir just until the flour disappears. Banana bread that’s been beaten too hard turns gummy and tough, with tunnels through the crumb that aren’t pretty.

Pro Tips

• Use very ripe spotted bananas. The riper they are, the deeper and sweeter the banana flavor.
• Substitute butter for margarine if you prefer richer flavor, with no other changes needed.
• Test for doneness with a toothpick that comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Wet batter means more time.
• Cool the loaf in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to finish cooling. This prevents the bottom from steaming into a soggy mess.

Variations

• Stir in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch.
• Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon of cinnamon for warmer flavor.
• Sprinkle the top with turbinado sugar before baking for a sparkly, slightly crunchy crust.