I have been hunting for the perfect whole wheat banana bread recipe lately. The first was too sweet to stick with me from breakfast to lunch; the second was dry and lacking in flavor.
This banana bread recipe is just right: 100% whole wheat, naturally sweetened with honey, with a light, decadent crumb. Plus it is a cinch to mix together and only requires one bowl. My search is over!
| Whole Wheat Banana Bread |
|
- 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, plus more to swirl on top
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup hot water
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) and grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, beat oil and honey together.
- Add eggs, and beat well.
- Stir in bananas and vanilla, then stir in flour, salt and cinnamon.
- Add baking soda to hot water, stir to mix, and then add to batter. (Does anyone know why you add the baking soda to hot water? I’m curious.)
- Pour batter into the loaf pan.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon, and swirl with a toothpick for a pretty marbled effect.
- Bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Be sure to check that the bread is done baking by inserting a toothpick in the top. It should come out clean.
- Wait 5 minutes, then cool on a wire rack for 1/2 hour before slicing.
Since I live by myself, I like to bake a big loaf of banana bread and freeze it for later. Once the bread has cooled, I slice it and store the slices in a freezer bag. When I’m ready to eat it, I just throw a frozen slice in the toaster. My homemade breakfast or snack is ready in minutes!
How do you like your banana bread? For some extra protein, I like to top it with pecan butter or peanut butter. If I’m feeling indulgent, I’ll add honey, butter, Nutella or maple cream cheese. Huzzah!
42 Comments
That looks sooo delicious! I would never stop eating that. Banana bread is one of my favourite things in the world.
Belly B
http://www.bforbel.com
I already have a banana bread recipe that I adore but this looks and sounds so good I may have to cheat a little on my standby ;p
Ok, I really need to buy a loaf pan. :-)
my go to banana bread recipe has been from nigellas but im sure this healthier version will make me just as happy! waiting for the bananas to brown now….
i made it this banana bread this morning and it’s just as good as the AP flour version! i know for sure that i will be making this over and over and over again :) thanks for a great and healthy recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad you like the recipe, Vivienne! I’m addicted to banana bread now.
Just wondering: so why do you add the baking soda to the hot water? Made the banana bread the other day, but it didn’t really rise that much. I blame it on the hot water….(a lot of sizzling went on) … funnily enough nobody else seems to have that problem?
I’ll definitely give it another try though, as my mini-banana-bread still tasted really good.
Hey Aimee! I honestly don’t know why the original recipe recommended adding the baking soda to hot water. I’ve made the bread twice and neither of the loaves ended up flat, though. I wonder if maybe your water was too hot, or if your baking soda has possibly expired? Please let us know how the next loaf goes; I want to solve this mystery!
I use a recipe for Tomato Soup Cake that also has you put the soda in boiling water and my understanding is that it adds loft to the recipe, helping it to rise better. I’m not sure why.
Aha! That’s the first potential answer I’ve gotten. I bet that’s why the recipe calls for hot water. Thank you thank you!
I just made a loaf with this recipe and it was DELICIOUS! The best whole wheat banana bread recipe, and would be my go to recipe from now on :)
Could you put a recipe for whole wheat scones? I’m still searching for a good and healthy one.
Thank you so much!
I’m so happy you love the banana bread recipe, Alena! It’s my favorite. I actually do have a recipe for whole wheat scones: http://cookieandkate.com/2011/healthy-lemon-blueberry-scones/. They are SO good!
love that you sweeten with honey :)
This looks delicious! I’ll definitely be trying this recipe tonight. thanks!
I made this bread yesterday, it was so good! Perfect, perfect, perfect.
This is my go-to banana recipe now :]
yep, this is a winner. made loaf number 1 an hour ago. with the half cup honey…….then made loaf number two with just a quarter cup honey, both are spectacular, but for me the quarter cup of honey is plenty, i found a half cup a tad to sweet!!
ENJOY!!!
i am so passionate about what i am about to write that i must do it in cap lock letters….
THIS IS HANDS DOWN THEE BESTT EVERRRR BANANA BREAD I HAVE EVER MADE, YES BANANA BREAD IS TASTY BUT IT IS USUALLY HEAVY AND DENSE, THIS BREAD IS LIGHT AIRY AND FLUFFY….I ASSUME IT IS FROM PUTTING THE BAKING SODA IN WATER……..DELICIOUS, JUST AMAZING!!!
I never post anywhere, I normally just read, but this banana bread is so delicious I had to comment. My entire family loves this recipe – my 3yr old and 6 year old can’t get enough of it! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made it and am about to make it again today! We add some chocolate bits (for the kids, of course!) and it’s delicious. Thank you for providing a healthy recipe that my husband does not refer to as sticks and twigs!
I made this banana bread tonight, and as you said, it was delicious! I used applesauce instead of the oil, and I added 3/4 Cup of raisins. This will definitely be my go to recipe for banana bread from now on. Thanks so much for posting it! :O)
Thank you for commenting, Ada! I’m glad to know that apple sauce can be substituted for the oil. I’m tempted to try my next batch with cranberries, but raisins sound great, too!
I had fun making this bread last weekend :D I gave that little honey bear quite a squeeze!! I liked the flavor of the honey sweetened bread, but now I’m curious about other sweeteners. I’m guessing if you substituted agave, you’d need to use a bit less (because agave is supposedly sweeter) and make up for the rest of the volume with something like unsweetened applesauce? I am even more curious about maple syrup. I have two different kinds now: one is grade B which is darker, richer, and more flavorful, the other is grade A, a lighter and milder version. I would imagine you could swap the 1/2 cup of honey for a 1/2 cup of maple syrup…might have to do some google searches and taste testing :) I will give you a report if I try the maple syrup :)
Also, if you have any other frozen banana recipes or ideas please share! I am a banana freezing freak! :D
Hello friend! You got me thinking about substituting maple syrup for honey in this recipe (genius!), and I got bored last night so I gave it a try! I was going to use all grade A maple syrup in place of the honey, but I ran out. I think I ended up using about 2/3 maple syrup and 1/3 honey, for a total of 1/2 cup. The bread is super delicious and moist, but the maple flavor is very subtle. I think grade B would be just right, as the maple-sweetened bread is not as sweet as the all honey-sweetened bread. I’m kicking myself for passing up a big bottle of grade B maple syrup when I was at the new Whole Foods in OKC this week. I’ve never actually tried grade B, but I suspect it would be a better substitute for honey in baking purposes because it’s more concentrated in flavor and thicker, right?
As far as agave syrup goes, I’ve found that it’s actually less sweet than honey. I learned that the hard way when I made my honey-sweetened zucchini brownies with agave syrup instead. They turned out so bittersweet that they didn’t appeal to everyone. I haven’t done much baking with agave, but I like it for sweetening smoothies and cocktails. The health benefits are debatable but I use it sparingly so whatev.
Are you into smoothies? This is one of my very favorites, and it calls for frozen banana: http://cookieandkate.com/2011/banana-almond-smoothie/. I also have a spicy chocolate and banana smoothie that I need to post soon!
Anyway, it makes me so happy that you’re trying my recipes. Thanks for getting me thinking about natural sweeteners again!
Okay, going to try and keep this concise, but you’ve got me thinking about so many things! :)
Glad you tried the maple syrup! Yes, Alex and I got some grade B syrup at the farmers market this summer. I didn’t really know much about the different grades because for the longest time I didn’t like the taste of real maple syrup. :/ (silly!) We discovered the grade B when we were asking the maple syrup vendor which kind was the thickest, they recommended the grade B. Now, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in the viscosity, but I do enjoy the really dark rich flavor! The lady we bought it from at the farmers market said she likes putting it in coffee because it stands up to the strong flavor.
I know I used agave in banana bread last summer when I experimenting and baked 3 loves in one weekend! Haha, but I need to search for my notes. I don’t remember how it turned out or what the ratio was…that might have been the loaf I burned too… hehe
So, besides banana bread I have two other uses for my super ripe frozen bananas. Smoothies are one—actually it’s funny because I generally don’t like smoothies that much. But when I traveled to South America a couple years ago I discovered a smoothie variation that I love. A liquado is basically a smoothie, but much simpler. In a liquado there is usually one kind of fruit and a bit of milk and/or ice. At one of the hostels we stayed at in Uruguay every morning we got to choose from either a peach liquado or a banana liquado for breakfast. I became obsessed with the banana liquado and I still make them today! I just blend bananas, a bit of vanilla, and enough milk (I like to use rice milk or coconut milk because they don’t get as frothy and unruly as regular milk when blending), sometimes I throw in a tiny bit of another fruit (like one or two frozen strawberries). I like to make it really thick and I pretend it’s ice cream! :) All this being said your banana almond smoothie looks so good and right up my smoothie alley! I love that it is so simple while still incorporating a lot of unique ingredients!
My final use for bananas is in oatmeal. I just mix in some frozen pieces of bananas into my oatmeal every morning, they just melt right in the oats. :) And because frozen bananas are soooo sweet I never put sweetener in my oatmeal anymore!
Okay, that is all. For now…;)
Hello again! I made banana bread again because I wanted to redo the photo of it on this post. I also ran out of honey about halfway through, and since I’m still out of maple syrup, used agave nectar for the rest. I can’t tell any difference in texture, but it is slightly less sweet. Based on my two experiences baking with agave, I think it’s safe to say that agave is less sweet than honey.
Liquados sound amazing. This summer I had fun blending melons with some ice. The melons pulverize (pulverrrize!) in the blender, so it’s like a fruit slush. I’ve also been making banana and almond milk smoothies, which sound just like your liquados, lately when I get a craving for frozen yogurt. It usually does the trick, and it’s cheaper and easier than driving to Campus Corner. I’m really lazy. Oh and I love bananas in oatmeal, too!
These are absolutely delicious! I love the healthy twists on baked goods!
This is baking in my oven right now! Can’t wait to try it. :-)
I’ve got a store-bought gluten-free flour mix, do you think I could substitute it in this recipe for the whole-wheat flour, to make it GF? Has anyone already tried it?
Thanks!
I am not sure if anyone has tried it with gluten-free flour, but I know that whole wheat pastry flour has less gluten than most other whole wheat flours so I think GF flour is worth a shot! Please let us know how it turns out!
Hi Kate! I just did the ultimate banana bread last night. My husband and I just super love it! Later today before we hit the gym I will make your avocado smoothie with pineapple, orange… Can’t wait to taste it! More power!
PS
I was not a good cook (and now am becoming! Yiipee!) and just did baking for the first time when I was 12 (it wasn’t bad then!) and never did baking again until I got married. And now I found your recipes and precious ideas, I am more inspired to bake more, cook more, and have more healthier foods on our table every meal. I am so so so happy!
Thank you, Ela! Your comment made my day. I’m delighted that my recipes are inspiring you to cook more and bake again!
I found your receipt on Sous Style and just put it in the oven. Can’t wait for it to come out. If the batter I just licked off the batter is any indication, it’s going to be pretty darn good.
WOW! I just accidentally came across your site while I was looking for a “green smoothie”. I LOVE THIS SITE! And this bread recipe- this is going to sound crazy- but I wanted to healthify my banana bread recipe and I did this exact thing! I used coconut oil, ww flour and it was a huge hit with my family- who is not that crazy about my healthifying our family! haha. ANyway- Im so excited to surf through your blog and recipes!
Hi Kate! I stumbled upon this blog accidently and I am definitely hooked!! My hubby and I are always looking for delicious whole wheat “stuff” – I’m so excited to explore this website further!!
And as for adding the hot water to the baking soda first: I am honestly thinking it might not be the best idea to do this. Baking soda is a chemical leavener that releases a burst of carbon dioxide when mixed with a liquid. (It requires the presence of an acid as well, which it why it is typically used in recipes calling for cocoa powder, buttermilk, lemon juice etc.). It differs from baking POWDER in that baking powder releases a small burst of CO2 when put in contact with a liquid, and a second larger burst of CO2 when put in the presence of heat. Thus, baked goods containing baking soda MUST be baked immediately to get the best rise, whereas items using baking powder can be held and baked the next day/frozen and baked if need be.
All that being said, I am hesitant to dissolve the soda in water first before adding it to the recipe only because I feel that (depending on how long it took to get into the oven) you may lose some of your leavening power. Have you ever tried it without dissolving it?? I am considering making this bread tomorrow and I most likely won’t dissolve it…I’ll let you know how it comes out!
Thanks again for the amazing recipes – I’m excited to explore!!
Hey Sarah, thank you so much for your insightful comment! I have always wondered about the differences between baking soda and baking powder, and now I get it. I have made many batches of this banana bread recipe with hot water and every batch has risen as high as I could expect is to rise. I haven’t ever rushed to get the bread into the oven, nor have I let it sit for long before placing it in the oven, but you could very well be correct. I’m eager to learn how your bread turns out!
I have my banana bread baking in the oven right now. All I had was all purpose whole wheat flour so I added 2 tsp. of gluten to the mixture. Can’t wait to see how this comes out. The test will be my husband who is not a fan of whole wheat. It was very easy to make.
About to pull a loaf out of the oven, it smells divine. :) Here’s hoping I managed to get it right! :p I have to say, I love your focus on baking with healthy ingredients and natural sweeteners. It’s really awesome, and your baking is a real source of inspiration. So glad I found this blog!
Thank you, Bec! I’m so glad you found my blog. It’s starting to get too warm to turn on the oven, but I hope you’ll continue to find inspiration in my existing recipes!
Note when using frozen banana the melted coconut oil solidifies again. DOH!
Oops yeah, that will happen! I defrost my frozen chunks of banana first. Sometimes even adding a cold egg will cause the coconut oil to solidify again, but that’s easily remedied by short little bursts in microwave.
Hi Kate, I just found your blog and I love it! I thought I already had the perfect banana bread until I found your version. I have to try it by looking at the ingredients it sounds amazing! I can’t wait.
I made this bread tonight with the kids that I babysit. SOOO easy and so delicious! This is most definitely my favorite banana bread recipe now! I didn’t change a thing.
Has anyone tried this in a muffin tin? Curious how long to bake it for.
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