What do you do with overripe bananas?
Do you love a classic banana bread, but thought that you’d have to give it up because it’s not vegan? The classic recipes are typically made with eggs and butter, but I’ve got a recipe for a vegan Classic Banana Bread that is totally dairy-free and healthy and I promise you that you will never know the difference!
We’ve probably all been there. You buy a large bunch of bananas with the best of intentions of eating a banana a day. After all, they are chock-full of potassium, magnesium, folate, vitamin C, and fiber. Plus they are a sweet treat that is highly satisfying and filling.
But inevitably, we end up with some bananas that just get way too brown to eat and you just feel awful about having to toss them.
Well, stop right now! Don’t toss those bananas!
When bananas get brown like that, they get a bit mushy and really, really sweet! And that is when they are absolutely perfect for using in a sweet, delicious, and healthy baked treat like this vegan Classic Banana Bread.
Watch the video to see exactly how I make it
You generally don’t want to use under-ripe or fully yellow bananas for baking. Why? Because they don’t mash up as well and they haven’t had a chance to develop that rich sweet flavor that comes with ripening.
That’s why those really spotty brown bananas are perfect for baking!
Veganizing classic banana bread
So, we’ve got our nice, super-ripe bananas, but how do we make the classic banana bread vegan and a bit more healthy? It’s not too hard.
First of all, we’re going to replace the butter with a tasty vegan butter. I recommend using a brand called Earth Balance, which is a blend of all natural plant-based oils with a bit of pea protein. It comes in a few varieties, including organic, and also one called Melt, that is made with coconut oil and is SO good!
They are all wonderfully buttery tasting, smooth and easy to spread, and can be used one-for-one to replace butter in any recipe! It is also easy to find in just about any grocery store!
The replacement for the eggs is a little different and might be something that you’ve never tried before. There are some egg replacers on the market that work pretty well. I have used the NRG Egg Replacer in plenty of recipes and it works pretty well, but I have found that for a classic banana bread, it is best to make flax eggs.
Not only does it create a really nice texture, but it also gives you added health benefits such as fiber and omega-3 (so important for vegans to utilize plant-based sources of omegas!).
What flour to use for Banana Bread?
Lastly, when it comes to flours, I always try to incorporate as much whole-grain as I can. I’m still a bit new to the whole gluten-free flour thing (I’m not really gluten-free) and I am still experimenting with different flours, but for this vegan classic banana bread recipe I am sticking with wheat flour.
I use a combination of an organic white flour and a whole wheat flour. I’ve tried it with all whole wheat flour, but it makes it much more dense than I prefer.
From my experience, you can probably replace the white flour with quinoa flour or buckwheat flour. They have a very similar consistency, but I haven’t tested it enough to be sure that it is going to work correctly.
So, if you are a bit more experimental in the kitchen and you want to give it a try – go for it! And please let me know how it went!
Without further adieu…..
Grab your bananas and let’s get started making this vegan Classic Banana Bread!
Classic Banana Bread Veganized
A classic banana bread recipe made vegan! You will never know the difference between this and the traditional banana bread. The addition of flax and whole wheat flour make this a healthier alternative, without sacrificing on moistness and flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 2 Tbsp ground flax seed
- 6 Tbsp water
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
- 2/3 cup organic cane sugar or turbinado sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup vegan butter try Earth Balance
- 1/4 cup walnuts optional
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
-
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the flax egg:
In a small bowl, add the 6 Tbsp. water to the ground flax seed. Set aside to gel.
-
In a medium-sized bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. When the flax egg has gelled, you will add it to the banana and mix well.
-
In a larger mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients - flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, and stir together.
Add the vegan butter and mix it into the dry mixture with a fork. It should end up with a sandy texture. Make sure any large lumps of butter are fully incorporated.
-
Add the banana and flax egg mixture to the flour and butter mixture and stir until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated well with the wet.
The batter should be sticky, but not runny.
-
Grease the bottom and sides (all the way up) of a 9" x 5" baking pan with a small amount of the vegan butter.
Add your batter to the pan and spread evenly.
Optional: Here is where you can really customize your banana bread. Nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and of course, chocolate chips make great additions to the bread. I like to use walnuts or pecans and chocolate chips to mine. Just sprinkle them on top and press in a bit.
Bake for 55 minutes.
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