A lovely and moist dessert gets infused with a subtle sweetness in this recipe for Easy Brown Sugar Banana Bread.
Confession time: I didn’t know brown sugar was a thing until I was much older than I care to admit (okay, I was 12). I was shocked when I learned that there were alternatives to my precious white granules. In retrospect, I shouldn’t have been that shocked. I mean, there is white and brown rice, white and brown chocolate… why not white and brown sugar?
Then, imagine my surprise when I learned that brown sugar was more than just a palate swap. It was sugar with molasses, and it was slightly more moist than its white counterpart. All this sounded important, though I wouldn’t know what to do with this information until later, when I started baking on my own. Well, this recipe is what I did with that information.
I love baking banana bread. Every aspect of it is therapeutic. Making it, baking it, smelling it, eating it… it’s all so very good. Occasionally, though, I like to change things up a bit. Well, this is me changing it up a bit. Perhaps even improving on the basic loaf. Infused in each slice is brown sugar; scattered atop the loaf is brown sugar. It grants what is already a subtly sweet snack with a richness white sugar just can’t provide.
Is Brown Sugar Banana Bread Healthy?
This recipe has a number of things going for it: whole wheat flour, bananas, unsweetened applesauce, eggs, and cinnamon. All contribute in a good way to your health (or they are a healthier alternative to what some people use to make banana bread). A diet too high in sugar, however, should be avoided, so don’t go overboard with this one. Those of you on restrictive diets will be happy to know you can enjoy this bread even if you are on a vegetarian, vegan (replace the eggs with flax eggs), or gluten-free (replace the flour with a 1:1 gluten-free alternative) regimen.
Is Brown Sugar Healthier Than White Sugar?
In a word, no. These days, brown sugar is little more than refined white sugar with the addition of molasses. And, as molasses has very little nutritional value save the odd mineral, arguing which is healthier is a moot point. It wasn’t always like this, though. Brown sugar used to be made with unrefined or semi-refined soft sugar that was then blended with molasses. Not a big difference considering molasses is actually just a byproduct of the refining process.
How to Make Ahead and Store
Let the bread cool completely. Now, you have three options: Cover it and leave it out at room temperature for up to 3 days; wrap it in plastic and store it in the fridge for up to a week; or wrap it in plastic, then wrap it in aluminum and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let it thaw either in the fridge or on the kitchen counter before taking a bite.
Serving Suggestions
Eat your banana bread with a slathering of homemade Almond Butter or Cashew Butter for even more richness. If you’ve got some extra bananas on hand, try making these Paleo Banana Pancakes or whip up a Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Banana Smoothie.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 cups mashed ripe bananas about 4 large bananas
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup organic brown sugar lightly packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup organic brown sugar (for topping), optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a non-stick spray or line it with parchment paper, allowing some overhang for easy removal.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon.
- In a larger bowl, mix the mashed bananas with the unsweetened applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.
- Transfer the batter into your prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. If you're feeling indulgent, sprinkle the additional brown sugar on top for a sweet crust.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. When it is done, remove from the oven and let the bread cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Then, using the parchment paper overhang, lift the bread out and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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