This simple banana bread recipe is made without baking soda. It’s moist, flavorful and it’s the perfect way to use up old bananas before they go bad. It’s great for breakfast, a snack or even as a dessert.
Bought too many bananas for the week and now you’re looking for a way to use them? Of course you could always freeze them for later use or toss them into a healthy smoothie, but another way to use up your brown bananas is to bake with them, like how they’re used in this banana oatmeal bars recipe. Overripe bananas are perfect for adding natural sweetness and depth of banana flavor to give it that classic, irresistible taste.
Banana bread is one of the most famous quick breads recipes known for its moist, sweet, and flavorful taste. This homemade banana bread recipe is incredibly easy to make and requires just a handful of ingredients. Traditionally, baking soda is used as a leavening agent, but in this recipe, the baking soda was swapped for baking powder, ensuring you have moist banana bread that stays soft for days after it's baked. It also uses organic sugars and avocado oil as a healthy ingredient swap.
So whether you’re looking for a healthier banana bread, out of baking soda, or simply just wanting to use up your bananas, this quick bread recipe is just what you need. It is great for breakfast, as a snack, for dessert or as a homemade gift.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Here are a few reasons why you’ll love this easy banana bread recipe:
- Easy recipe.
- Simple ingredients.
- Made with gluten free flour
- Great if you’re out of baking soda
- Avocado oil is used rather than butter
- Coconut sugar and organic cane sugar is used instead of brown sugar or granulated white sugar.
Equipment You’ll Need
- Electric Mixer - or hand mixer
- Sifter - used to break up clumps in dry ingredients
- Fork - mash bananas with the back of a fork or you can use a potato masher
- Spatula - to fold / combine the ingredients together
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make this delicious banana bread recipe you’ll only need a few ingredients:
- Bananas - you’ll want to use overripe bananas (bananas with brown spots)for this recipe. If they are underripe (or green), you won’t be able to mash them to make the banana puree. You’ll need 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 large bananas) and 1 extra banana sliced in half to decorate the top (optional).
- Organic cane sugar - It’s less processed and more sustainable than conventional granulated white sugar.
- Coconut sugar - Coconut sugar tastes very similar to brown sugar, with nutty and caramel flavors and it has a low glycemic index.
- Avocado oil - It’s rich in oleic acid and other antioxidant-rich nutrients and it’s used as a substitute for butter or vegetable oil.
- Vanilla extract - use pure vanilla extract, not imitation vanilla, for the best taste
- Eggs - let your eggs come up to room temperature before using
- Gluten free all purpose flour - this banana bread is made gluten free. White flour will also work if you are not concerned with gluten.
- Salt - only ½ teaspoon is needed to help enhance the flavors in the recipe.
- Baking powder - ½ teaspoon is used as a baking soda substitute.
- Cinnamon - adds warming flavor to help enhance the taste of the bread.
How To Make Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Mash the bananas with a fork until banana puree consistency is reached.
- Whip the avocado oil, eggs, vanilla extract, coconut sugar and organic cane sugar in a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer (or hand mixer), together for a few minutes until fluffy.
- Add in the banana puree and fold it into the ingredients just until combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Tap the loaf pan on the counter a few times, by picking it up and gently dropping it to remove any air pockets.
- Slice a banana in half then place the halves on top of the loaf batter in the loaf pan, with the inside of the banana face up.
- Bake for 45 min or until the center is done. You can gently insert a toothpick or knife in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean it is done.
- Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool for 10 - 15 minutes, then serve.
How to Quickly Ripen Bananas
If you’re in need of ripe bananas but don’t have any, here are 2 methods you could use to help speed up the ripening process:
- Paper bag method. Place the bananas into a brown paper bag and roll the bag tightly closed. The bananas will release ethylene (a gaseous plant hormone), which will cause them to ripen. Depending on how under-ripe your bananas were, the paper-bag method will take about 1-3 days.
- Oven method. If your bananas aren’t entirely green and are already starting to ripen, you can bake the bananas in their peel to help them ripen faster. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and place the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven at 300 degrees F until they look shiny and black (about 15 to 30 minutes). Remove the bananas and let them cool until room temperature before using.
How to Store and Freeze
- To Store - the best way to store the banana bread is in an airtight container for 3-5 days. I suggest slicing the bread as you’re ready to eat it. For a fresh out of the oven taste, place a slice on a microwavable plate in the microwave or toaster oven to reheat for fresh baked taste.
- To Freeze - wrap the loaf tightly in plastic wrap then place it in a resealable freezer bag or wrap in foil. It will keep up to 3 months in the freezer.
Substitutes and Variations
The great thing about making a quick bread recipe is that it’s versatile and easy to substitute ingredients to your preference. Here are a few suggestions below:
- Chocolate Chips - about ¼ cup, adds a sweet chocolate taste in every bite.
- Walnuts - about ¼ cup, chopped, or other nuts if preferred.
- Pumpkin Bread - you can swap out the banana puree for an equal amount of pumpkin puree.
- Add Icing - you could top the banana bread with a homemade icing or store-bought of your favorite brand icing.
Is It a Thyroid-Friendly Recipe? The banana bread is made with avocado oil as a substitute for using butter. Avocado oil is a healthy fat that provides vitamin E, it’s rich in oleic acid and other antioxidant-rich nutrients. This recipe also uses coconut sugar as a substitute for brown sugar, which is a natural, plant-based sweetener that can help keep your blood glucose and energy levels up. And the organic cane sugar, derived from the sugarcane plant, is used as a substitute for granulated white sugar.
Recipe FAQ
Banana bread contains more nutrients than typical bakery style breads since it contains the added bananas however banana bread is neither healthy or unhealthy. Eating a healthy well balanced diet on a daily basis while enjoying a slice of banana bread in moderation is perfectly okay.
You can extend the shelf life of the banana bread by wrapping it with plastic wrap and then in foil and refrigerating it for up to 7 days. I suggest only cutting a slice at a time to keep the bread from drying out. You can also freeze the bread for up to 3 months.
Baking with overripe bananas is the perfect way to use up old bananas. The riper the banana, the sweeter it is, the easier it is to mash, and the more sweetness it adds to the bread.
Baking powder is the best substitute for baking soda in banana bread.
Most baking powders are gluten-free since they are made of a starch which is usually potato starch or regular cornstarch. Both are gluten free.
More Recipes You May Like:
Chocolate Chip Banana Pancakes
Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Bars
Simple Banana Bread without Baking Soda
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 Eggs at room temperature
- ½ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cups coconut sugar
- ½ cups organic cane sugar
- 1 cup bananas about 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 Banana cut into half to decorate the top, optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Whip the avocado oil, eggs, vanilla extract, coconut sugar and organic cane sugar in a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer (or hand mixer), together for a few minutes until fluffy.
- Add in the banana puree and fold it into the ingredients just until combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Tap the loaf pan on the counter a few times, by picking it up and gently dropping it to remove any air pockets.
- Slice a banana in half then place the halves on top of the loaf batter in the loaf pan, with the inside of the banana face up.
- Bake for 45 min or until the center is done. You can gently insert a toothpick or knife in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean it is done.
- Remove the banana bread from the oven and let it cool for 10 - 15 minutes, then serve.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Although HalfPastHungry.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, note that these are only estimates. Nutritional information may be affected based on which products you use, the brand that was purchased, or in other unforeseeable ways. HalfPastHungry.com will not be held liable for any reliance on given nutritional information. If you need to follow a specific caloric regimen, please consult your physician first.
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