A healthier and delicious way to use up those brown bananas, this is one of our favourite afternoon treats.
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Banana bread has been popular since the 30’s. It’s rumored to have been invented during the Great Depression as a way of using up overripe bananas. There are hundreds or banana bread recipes out there, and here we’ve created one that we think tops them all. It has a delicious banana flavour, the slightly bitter crunch of walnuts and utilizes the healthiest ingredient choices without compromising on flavor or texture.
The key is to use the ripest bananas you can. Pro tip: throw your overripe bananas in the freezer until you have enough to make a loaf. They will go black when frozen but the ripening process will be arrested and they’ll be perfect for baking.
Is Banana Bread Healthy?
Banana bread is not particularly healthy, but this recipe is one of the healthiest you’ll find. We’ve chosen ingredients to up the fibre, increase the healthy fats and reduce the glycemic load. Enjoy a slice with your afternoon coffee, and cut it thinner if you’re worried about calorie intake.
On Ripe Bananas
Bananas grow as a starchy green fruit, and they are harvested that way. Bananas continue to ripen off the tree, and are shipped around the world green. they’re now available everywhere and are inexpensive, but in Victorian times they were considered a rare delicacy, and were sold individually wrapped in aluminum foil.
As bananas ripen, the starches turn to sugars and the skins go from green to yellow. Once they start to develop black spots, almost all the starches have been converted to sugars, and they will subsequently get darker and softer.
Fun fact: You can slow the ripening process by wrapping the end of a bunch in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda to help it rise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (or swap in coconut oil for a healthier fat)
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 small bananas, the riper the sweeter)
- Optional: ½ cup of walnuts or dark chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare an 8×4-inch loaf pan by greasing it with butter or lining it with parchment paper.
Mix
In a mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Then, in a separate bowl, mix the softened butter and coconut sugar until fluffy, for about 2 minutes with a hand mixer. One by one, add the eggs then stir in the vanilla extract.
Add the Bananas
Fold the mashed bananas into the egg and butter mixture.
Combine
Gradually stir the dry ingredients. Make sure to not overmix.
Bake & Cool
Pour into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. It is ready when a toothpick comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the pan for approximately 5 minutes, then transfer it onto a wire rack.
FAQs
No. They key is having soft, super-ripe bananas.
No. Cinnamon adds a warmth to the loaf but it works just as well without it.
You can grind the walnuts or leave them out entirely. We love the flavor the walnuts add, and sometimes sprinkle extra on top of the loaf before baking.
Don’t over-mix the dry ingredients. It’ll make your banana bread dense. Also, whether you’re using butter or coconut oil, soften it at room temperature before mixing.
You can try lining up your loaf pan with parchment paper instead of using butter or cooking spray.
Serving Suggestions
This loaf is perfect with an afternoon coffee with the neighbours, as an after school snack or added to a lunch box. It also makes the best french toast you’ve ever had, which is our favorite way to use up stale slices. You’re welcome.
Make Ahead and Storage
This banana bread will store well for a week, covered to preserve freshness. It also freezes very well. We like to pre-slice it and wrap the slices individually before freezing.
Ingredients
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda to help it rise
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened or swap in coconut oil for a healthier fat
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas about 4 small bananas, the riper the sweeter
- Optional: ½ cup of walnuts or dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Start by heating your oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×4-inch loaf pan with a bit of butter.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. This is your dry mix.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In another bowl, cream the softened butter and coconut sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes with a hand mixer. Remember, if they aren't fluffy yet, they're still on their first date! Let them dance more!.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Banana Time: Fold in the mashed bananas and let them join the party (in fact, they are the life of the party in this bread!).
- Combine Dry and Wet: Gently stir the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined. Remember, overmixing is a dough’s worst nightmare, it will turn your soft and fluffy bread into chewy tire treads!
- Optional Add-ins: Fold in walnuts or dark chocolate chips here for an extra treat, I didn't.
- Bake: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Slide it into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick—it should come out clean.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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