One of my most tried n tested recipes that anyone can bake. Yes, I mean first-time bakers too. It’s that simple.
A must -try recipe for all vegan and banana lovers who enjoy a warm sweet, moist and fluffy sweet treat. Comfort food at its best in any weather!
The traditional as well as eggless recipes are provided below. Over ripe bananas are put to great use here, providing wonderful wholesome nutrition to you and your family.
Spice it up with cinnamon powder or walnuts, raisins & pumpkin seeds for a healthier option. My kids prefer it garnished with chocolate chips / chunks, just before popping it into the oven.
I usually bake the loaf, slice it up and pop it into the freezer, so that as and when needed, I can take out just as many slices, lightly toast & butter them up for a fab breakfast or tea. It is cream cheese however, that makes for the ultimate topping.
Let’s all ‘bake’ the world a happier place! What a divine aroma to engulf your home with!!!
Traditional Banana Bread
Ingredients (Serves 4 – 6 persons)
- 3 medium size over-ripe bananas
- 2 cups all purpose flour/maida
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup oil
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder/dalchini powder) optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds/black raisins (optional garnish)
Procedure
- Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 8-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, peel and then totally mash the over ripe bananas with a fork. Add in the powdered sugar and eggs, mixing it all in completely.
- Add the oil and vanilla essence and using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it is all mixed well together to make a wet puree.
- Now in another bowl, sieve together all the dry ingredients, namely, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon powder and add these to the bowl with the wet mix, blending gently with the hand mixer.
- If you are adding walnuts, fold them into the batter now. Also garnish the cake with raisins, pumpkin seeds if you wish.
- Pour the batter into a pre-greased 9 x 5inch bread or loaf tin. You can also use butter paper or parchment paper to line your tin.
- Place the tin into your preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick or clean knife inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.
- Now switch off the oven and remove the tin, keeping it aside for 10 minutes until almost cool.
- Remove from the tin and cool another 10 minutes on a wire rack preferably before cutting slices.
- Cut into slices and serve while still warm with butter. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place if there’s any remaining at the end of day.
Eggless Banana Bread
Ingredients (Serves 4 – 6 persons)
- 3 medium size over-ripe bananas
- ¾ cup all purpose flour/maida
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour/atta
- ½ cup oil
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder/dalchini powder) optional
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
- ¼ cup roughly chopped walnuts (optional)
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin seeds/black raisins (optional garnish)
Procedure
- Preheat the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for about 8-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, peel and then totally mash the over ripe bananas with a fork. Add in the powdered sugar, mixing it in completely.
- Add the oil and vanilla essence and using a hand mixer, beat the mixture until it is all mixed well together to make a wet puree.
- Now in another bowl, sieve together all the dry ingredients, namely, both the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon powder and add these to the bowl with the wet mix, blending gently with the hand mixer.
- If you are adding walnuts, fold them into the batter now. Also garnish the cake with raisins, pumpkin seeds if you wish.
- Pour the batter into a pre greased 9 x 5 inch bread or loaf tin. You can also use butter paper or parchment paper to line your tin.
- Place the tin into your preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick or clean knife inserted into the centre of the bread comes out clean.
- Now switch off the oven and remove the tin, keeping it aside for 10 minutes until almost cool.
- Remove from the tin and cool another 10 minutes on a wire rack preferably before cutting slices.
- Cut into slices and serve while still warm with butter. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place if there’s any remaining at the end of day.
Notes:
- You can make this bread traditionally using all purpose flour / maida, entirely, or use half and half as I have done here for more flavour.
- Overly ripened bananas are a must here for enhanced banana flavour as well as for moistness, so do not throw away those darkening bananas from your kitchen counter anymore.
- I generally choose oil over butter in any bread recipe for added moistness. Butter is good in cakes.
- Avoid over-mixing your batter, gently folding it in to get a fluffy moist bread.
- Aluminium tins bake more evenly as compared to those with a black non stick coating or a silicon mould and hence the baking time may vary for each of these.
- Always stick to recommended oven temperatures for baking to ensure a soft, moist product. If your oven is too hot, it will cook the outside faster than the inside, leaving it uncooked in the centre.
- Preheating your oven at the outset always ensures that the oven is hot enough to cook the bread inside and out evenly.
- Use the middle rack of your oven for baking as much as possible to avoid burning or over browning from the top.
- Don’t hesitate to contact me for any queries you have on any of my recipes, no question is ever ‘duh’ as far as I’m concerned. I would always be delighted to be of help!
The Culinary Konnoisseur 