This banana bread has no butter, less sugar, and far less oil than the standard version—yet somehow, it tastes even better. If I hadn’t just baked it myself, I wouldn’t believe it either.

It’s basically my classic banana bread recipe, just tweaked slightly: no nuts, less oil, no sour cream. And yet the result is soft, sweet, moist, and almost buttery, despite having no actual butter.

Ingredient Swaps That Work

This isn’t a “healthified” banana bread that tastes like cardboard. Every substitution was made with texture and flavor in mind.

Very ripe bananas provide natural sweetness and moisture. The total sugar added is about ½ cup, which is significantly lower than standard banana bread, but still sweet enough to satisfy.
A bit of maple syrup (2 tablespoons) adds depth and keeps the crumb soft.
Unsweetened applesauce replaces half the oil. The result is tender, not greasy.
0% Greek yogurt stands in for sour cream. The acidity and richness are still there—you won’t miss a thing.
One-third of the flour is whole wheat, but you’d never know. It blends right in.

Understanding Banana Bread Texture

A common issue with banana bread is a gummy or dense interior. This can happen for many reasons—too much moisture, too little leavening, or baking time issues. But one of the most overlooked causes is under-mixing the flour.

It’s a tricky balance. Over-mix and you get tough bread. Under-mix and you risk those little hidden flour pockets that lead to a heavy or gluey center.

My solution: after folding in the sifted flour with a spatula, gently stir using a whisk—not to beat the batter, but to gently incorporate and break up any dry pockets. This allows for even hydration without overdeveloping the gluten.

Adjusted Bake Time

Because of the moisture from the applesauce and bananas, and reduced fat, this bread bakes slightly faster than standard versions. Mine was ready in 51 minutes. Start checking around the 48-minute mark. A toothpick inserted should come out with a few moist crumbs, but not raw batter.

Final Thoughts

This recipe might just replace my original. With its rich, buttery taste and lighter nutritional profile, it’s hard to tell it’s a lower-calorie version. If you’re trying to lighten things up but don’t want to compromise on taste or texture, this is the recipe to try. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this to anyone.

Lighter Banana Bread That Tastes Like the Real Thing – Banana Bread with Yogurt, Applesauce, Some Whole Wheat and Maple Syrup

Recipe by Ellen

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

235

kcal

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup all-purpose whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
⅓ cup white sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup neutral oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
½ tsp kosher salt
½ cup 0% Greek yogurt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 4, ideally frozen and thawed
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, and baking soda.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, maple syrup, oil, applesauce, and salt until well combined.
Add Greek yogurt, vanilla, and mashed bananas to the wet mixture and whisk well.
Add eggs one at a time, whisking gently after each just until combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent excess air.
Sift in the dry ingredients gradually in two additions. Gently fold with a rubber spatula. Halfway through, use a whisk to stir gently, helping evenly incorporate the flour without overmixing. Scrape the bottom and edges to ensure no flour remains.
Pour batter into the prepared pan. For a clean center crack, run a butter knife (dipped in cold water) lengthwise down the center, about 1 cm deep.
Bake for 48–53 minutes, starting to check at 45 minutes. It’s ready when a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Don't overbake but don't underbake either or it will be gummy as all other banana breads tend to do. It was perfect for me at 51 minutes, the internal temp was 205F.
Cool in the pan briefly, then lift out using parchment and let cool fully on a wire rack.

Notes

Nutrition (per slice, 8 slices):
Calories: ~235 kcal
Protein: ~5.2g
Fat: ~9.8g
Carbohydrates: ~33.8g
Fiber: ~1.9g
Sugar: ~14.5g