February 23rd is National Banana Bread Day. This is my all time favorite banana bread recipe. It is quick and easy to make and no one will notice that healthier ingredients were used.
When learning to bake, banana bread was one of the first things I tried. It is the most delicious, moist bread I have ever made.
What makes it healthier?
- The banana bread is sweetened with bananas and honey rather than refined, white sugar. Honey has a lower glycemic score, is minimally processed and contains more nutrients. Honey also has antioxidants, amino acids and electrolytes.
- Butter is replaced with grapeseed oil, a neutral, minimally processed oil, high in polyunsaturated fat and Vitamin E.
- For a denser, less refined and darker bread, replace half of the all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Whole wheat pastry flour is a good option.
You can add chocolate chips or chopped walnuts into the batter. For an even more chocolatey bread, replace 2 tablespoons of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder.
Make it vegan by substituting maple syrup for the honey and flax egg or JUST Egg for the eggs.
Use very ripe bananas for a sweet, moist bread. For each loaf, use 3 medium-large ripe bananas.
Making loaf breads is so simple and doesn’t require any equipment. A bowl and a fork will do the trick and result in a chunkier consistency, that gives the banana bread a nice texture. Mashing bananas with a food processor, hand mixer or standing mixer will result in creamy mashed bananas, and combining the ingredients with a mixer will save some time stirring, but I find that the clean up isn’t worth it and there is a chance the batter will be over mixed, resulting in a heavy, chewy bread.
- Mash the bananas and set aside to get started on preparing the batter.
- In a medium bowl combine the dry ingredients;unbleached all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Give them a few stirs with a whisk to aerate the flour. This will result in a light and fluffy banana bread.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, oil, honey and pure vanilla extract. I find it is helpful to warm the honey before adding to the egg and oil mixture. To warm honey, place the jar or bottle of honey in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes until it is thinner in consistency and easier to stir.
- Add the the mashed bananas to the egg mixture. Stir until combined. Add the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until combined and batter is smooth.
- If using mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts, stir them into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan*. Can sprinkle some more chocolate chips or nuts on top of the banana bread before baking it.
- Place in on a middle rack in an oven preheated to 325ºF for an hour to an hour and a half. Test at one hour with a skewer. If it comesout cleanish, and the top of the bread is golden and springs back when touched, the bread is done.
- Remove from oven and cool on a rack with air circulation underit to stop the baking process. After 10 minutes or so, removing the bread from the pan and place on a metal rack to continue cooling.
- Slice and enjoy!
*The pan you use for bread loaves yields different results. A glass baking dish will result in a darker bottom and faster baked bread than a metal pan.
To prepare the pan, lightly spray a 9×5 inch loaf pan. I like to line to then line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. This way, the finished bread can be lifted out of the pan with ease and little chance of sticking or breaking. I give the parchment paper a light spray before adding the batter.
Healthier Banana Bread
Equipment
- 9x5 inch loaf pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- ½ cup honey
- 2 eggs large eggs at room temperature
- 3 bananas medium-large ripe bananas, peeled
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Optional Mix-Ins
- ½ cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325ºF
- Prepare loaf pan by lightly spraying, lining with parchment paper and lightly spray the paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients; flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside
- In a small bowl, mash bananas using a fork until they are creamy with small chunks remaining.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the wet ingredients; oil, eggs, honey and vanilla extract.
- Add the bananas to the oil and egg mixture. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the wet ingredients into the flour mixture until just combined.
- If using mix-ins, gently fold them into the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle top with mix-ins if using.
- Bake for an hour to hour and a half, checking at one hour. Bread is done when a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes on a wire rack. Transfer loaf from pan to rack to continue cooling before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition