Description
This delightful vegan banana bread is moist, flavorful, and packed with the natural sweetness of overripe bananas. It’s a perfect easy-to-make treat, featuring a blend of organic sugars, warm cinnamon, and crunchy walnuts, baked to golden perfection. Ideal for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, this recipe uses simple pantry staples and avoids any animal products, making it a wholesome choice for vegans and banana bread lovers alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 3 medium overripe bananas
- 1/3 cup organic granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup organic brown sugar
- 1/3 cup canola oil (or your favorite baking oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
Add-ins
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans, vegan chocolate chips, or your favorite banana bread stir-in)
- 1/4 cup organic brown sugar (for sprinkling on top)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s at the optimal temperature when the batter is ready.
- Prepare the Loaf Pan: Lightly oil a 9-inch loaf pan, then line it width-wise with a strip of parchment paper leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bread later.
- Mash Bananas: Peel the bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl. Use a fork or a potato masher to mash them thoroughly until smooth with some small lumps remaining for texture.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: To the mashed bananas, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Stir everything together until well combined and uniform in color.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Add the all-purpose flour to the bowl. Sprinkle the baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt evenly over the flour to ensure they distribute well.
- Combine Batter: Gently stir all ingredients together just until combined. Avoid overmixing as that can make the bread tough. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy.
- Fold in Walnuts: Carefully fold in the chopped walnuts to evenly distribute them without deflating the batter.
- Transfer to Pan: Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing out the top evenly with the back of a spoon or spatula.
- Add Topping: Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of organic brown sugar evenly over the top of the batter for a sweet, crunchy crust.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the crust turns golden brown.
- Cool in Pan: Remove the loaf from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes to set and firm up.
- Remove and Cool Completely: Using the parchment paper overhang, carefully lift the banana bread out of the pan. Allow it to cool completely on the wire rack before slicing and serving to maintain its shape and texture.
Notes
- Use overripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Canola oil can be swapped for other neutral oils like sunflower or light olive oil depending on preference.
- The salt enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness; do not omit.
- Optional mix-ins like vegan chocolate chips or pecans can personalize the bread to your taste.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter once the flour is added to keep the bread tender.
- For best results, allow the bread to cool completely before slicing to prevent crumbling.
