The best banana bread ever, and it’s vegan! Perfectly sweet, moist and topped with a brown sugar crust, this delicious banana bread is super easy to make and can be customized with your favorite twists.
My family has the best banana bread recipe. Always. I hate to brag, but it’s true. When I was young and learning to cook I tried a few banana bread recipes that were decent, before my mom took me aside, gave me a recipe card and informed me that it was the only recipe for banana bread that I never needed, because it was the best!
Well, he was wrong about at least one thing, because I guess he didn’t know that there would come a time when he would need a vegan banana bread recipe. But that’s not a big deal, because creating a vegan version of the old family favorite recipe was no big deal!
Oh, and well, maybe he was wrong to be the best, because, in fact, this vegan recipe is really better.
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Ingredients you will need
- Overripe bananas. Your bananas must be overripe. That means a LOT of brown spots. Preferably almost as much brown as yellow peel. Using bananas that are not ripe enough will not only affect the banana flavor of your bread, but will give it a dry, chewy texture.
- sugars We’re using white and brown granulated sugar, and you’ll want to make sure both are organic to keep the recipe vegan. Coconut sugar can be replaced with brown sugar if desired.
- Canola oil Feel free to substitute another baking oil, such as vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or even olive oil. I do not recommend using vegan butter in this particular recipe.
- Vanilla extract.
- flour The recipe calls for all-purpose wheat flour, which is the only type I’ve tried it with. However, I have had a few readers have success with various gluten-free flours. Check out the comments below the recipe to read their results. I suspect that wholemeal pastry flour or a mixture of wheat flour and wholemeal flour would also work.
- Bicarbonate of sodium.
- cinnamon You can omit this if you insist, but it adds a wonderful flavor to the bread.
- Sal.
- Nuts Feel free to substitute another type of nut, such as pecans or hazelnuts, or use your favorite banana bread, such as chocolate chips.
Tip: If you have overripe bananas but aren’t ready to make banana bread, just freeze them! Peel them, seal them in freezer bags and thaw them when you’re ready to cook
How to make vegan banana bread
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll down if you want to jump straight to the recipe!
The great thing about veganizing banana bread is that you don’t have to worry about figuring out the right egg substitute. Bananas do the job! I use bananas as an egg substitute in all kinds of vegan baked goods, but when it comes to banana bread, they’re already an integral part of the recipe.
- Mash the bananas in a large bowl with a fork or a potato masher.
- Add a little oil, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla to the mashed banana, then stir everything together.
- Once your wet ingredients are mixed, you can add the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Fold the nuts into your batter, being careful not to over mix.
Tip: You want to stir just until the ingredients are combined. Mixing too much will over-develop the gluten, making your vegan banana bread tough. This rule applies to virtually all wheat flour-based muffins and quick breads.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and dust with brown sugar. This will give you an awesome crust on top!
- Bake your bread for 50 minutes at 350°.
- Let the bread cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before slicing.
Tip: As with all baked goods recipes, make sure your ingredients are at room temperature before you start baking.
Leftovers and storage
Store your leftover vegan banana bread in its original pan, tightly covered with plastic wrap. It will stay at room temperature for 2 or 3 days, or in the refrigerator for approximately 1 week.
You can also seal the bread in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Optionally, you can heat individual slices in the microwave or in a preheated 350°F oven for a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Usually, the culprit is plain old baking soda. Test yours by spraying it with a little vinegar. It should be boiling. If not, throw it away and replace it.
They are not necessary! Bananas have the same function.
More Vegan Quickbreads
Do you like this recipe? If so, please stop by and leave me a review and rating below if you try it! Also be sure to follow me on Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram, or subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes like this!
The best vegan banana bread
The best banana bread and it’s vegan! Perfectly sweet, moist and topped with a brown sugar crust, this delicious banana bread is super easy to make and can be customized with your favorite twists.
Ingredients
-
3
half overripe bananas
(Notes 1 and 2) -
⅓
cup
organic granulated sugar -
⅓
cup
organic brown sugar -
⅓
cup
canola oil
(or your favorite oil) -
2
teaspoons
vanilla extract -
2
cups
all-purpose flour -
1
teaspoon
baking soda -
1
teaspoon
ground cinnamon -
1
teaspoon
salt
(Note 3) -
1
cup
new bites
(or pecans, vegan chocolate chips, or your favorite banana bread)
For Topping
-
¼
cup
organic brown sugar
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350°.
-
Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan and place a strip of parchment paper width-wise along the center, with just a little overhanging each side.
-
Peel the bananas and place them in a large bowl. Mash them well with a fork or a potato masher.
-
Add the sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla to the bowl. Stir until well combined.
-
Add the flour to the bowl, then sprinkle the baking soda, cinnamon and salt over the flour.
-
Stir just until combined. Don’t over mix. The dough will be thick.
-
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the back of a spoon.
-
Sprinkle the top with brown sugar.
-
Bake for 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
-
Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan.
Recipe notes
- Make sure at least one-third of the banana skin is brown, and preferably closer to half. Bananas that are not ripe enough will negatively affect the flavor and texture of this recipe.
- You should be able to look at the bananas to find a medium one, but if in doubt, look for ones that weigh about 5 ounces (with the skin).
- While most commenters on this recipe loved it, I’ve also heard from a few people who found it too salty. I think the amount of salt is perfect, but if you tend to be salt sensitive, try using only ½ teaspoon of salt the first time you make it.
nutritional data
The best vegan banana bread
Amount per serving (1 slice (1/10 of bread))
calories 322
Calories from fat 135
% Daily Value*
fat 15 g23%
Saturated fats 1 g5%
sodium 362 mg15%
potassium 231 mg7%
Carbohydrates 43.5 g15%
Fiber 2.6 g10%
Sugar 19.4 g22%
protein 6 g12%
calcium 20 mg2%
iron 1.8 mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.