Am I the only one who feels compelled to buy a bunch of bananas every time I’m at the grocery store?? It doesn’t really matter how many bananas are already sitting on the counter at home…I’m grabbing another bunch. Which means I often have a stock pile of speckled brown bananas – perfect to use in a delicious loaf of banana bread! 

I am a firm believer that every home cook needs a good banana bread recipe on hand. It’s a great snack, freezes well as muffins, makes a thoughtful house warming gift… the list goes on. When we first went plant-based, I was worried I wouldn’t be able to replicate the proper texture and moisture of a good banana bread without eggs or dairy…that is until I discovered the magic of ground flax! When it’s mixed with warm water the flax thickens up to a consistency similar to eggs and acts as a binder for baked goods. 

After lots and lots of testing, I think I have finally nailed it! This is the only banana bread recipe that you’ll need, and I promise you won’t be able to tell it’s plant-based!

Plant-Based Banana Bread Recipe

Makes 1 loaf (8 large slices) 

Ingredients

• 4 over ripe bananas, mashed
• 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 flax eggs (2 tbsp ground flax with 4 tbsp warm water)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup All Purpose flour
• 3/4 cup Whole Wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon 
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 banana, sliced lengthwise to garnish (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×5 loaf pan by greasing it or lining with parchment paper. 
2. In a small bowl, prepare the flax eggs by combining 2 tbsp ground flax with 4 tbsp warm water. Mix well and let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow it to thicken.
3. Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. To that same bowl, add the coconut oil, maple syrup, flax eggs and vanilla and mix well.

4. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients together. Then pour them into the banana mixture. 
5. Using a spatula, mix the wet and dry ingredients together until no dry clumps remain. Try not to over mix your batter!

6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top to ensure even baking and garnish with a sliced banana.
7. Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool on a cooling rack for 5-10 minutes before removing from the pan to cool completely. 

8. Once cooled, the banana bread should be tightly wrapped in cling wrap and can be kept for 3-5 days. 

I hope you enjoy this delicious and healthy, plant-based treat! Let me know if you try it in the comments.