Banana bread is our favorite go-to recipe whenever we’re in the mood to bake. It fills our home with the most delightful aroma and instantly boosts our spirits. Banana bread truly is a bit of magic!
What makes this recipe even better is its simplicity—it’s a quick one-bowl wonder that contains no refined sugar while still being irresistibly fluffy and moist, enjoyed by both kids and adults!
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or high quality vegetable oil
- ½ cup Kai Ora Honey
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large bananas)
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup (56 grams) warm milk of choice or water
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ¾ cups (220 grams) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional Extras: ½ cup mix-ins like chopped walnuts, dark chocolate chips, raisins, frozen blueberries or raspberries, fresh banana slices etc
Method
- Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celsius and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Then add the mashed bananas, and eggs.
- Add the baking soda to the warmed milk and stir (be careful it maybe bubble up, this is the baking soda activating) before adding to the banana mixture.
- Lastly, switch to a big spoon and gently stir in the flour, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt and any additional extras, and mix until combined. And don't worry if there are some lumps, it's best not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan, and this is where we added a sliced banana on top to decorate, or you can swirl through come extra cinnamon if you like.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Generally, if I haven’t added any extras, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added extras, it needs closer to 60 minutes)
- Now the hard part - leave the bread to cool in the loaf pan for at least 10 minutes. If you take it out too early it could break. You may need to run a butter knife around the edges to loosen the bread from the pan. Once it's cooled for 10 minutes, transfer the loaf to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Often I'll make a double batch, then slice one loaf and freeze it for simple and healthy school snacks. As one loaf doesn't last long in our whare. We love toasting ours straight from the freezer and topping with sliced banana and honey for a delicious breakfast treat!
STORAGE TIPS: This bread is wonderfully moist, so it will stay fresh for about two to three days at room temperature. For longer enjoyment, pop it in the fridge for five to seven days, or stash it in the freezer where it can last up to three months!