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This moist, fluffy, and delicious banana bread is made with only 5 ingredients, is easy to make, and also vegan! They are ready in under 1 hour and can be made in 1 bowl too. Perfect as a delicious and healthy breakfast, snacks for school and work, and for a picnic on a sunny day!
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Table of Contents
You love banana bread but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen or don’t want to go to the supermarket to get dozens of ingredients? Well, today is your lucky day. I’ve got you covered! This 5 ingredient vegan banana bread recipe is perfect for you. Yes, only 5 ingredients and you’ll get a deliciously moist, fluffy, and sweet banana bread that everyone will love in no time.
One of my goals for this recipe was to make it as easy as possible with the simple ingredients everyone has access to. So you probably already have all the ingredients lying around in your kitchen! If you start making this now, you’ll have your delicious banana bread in about 1 hour. And it can be made in just 1 bowl too. Let’s get started!
Recipe overview – why you’ll love this vegan 5 ingredient banana bread recipe
- Level: Super easy
- Taste: Deliciously sweet banana
- Texture: Soft, moist, and fluffy
- Diet: Plant-based, dairy-free, egg-free, soy-free, nut-free, can be gluten-free
- Time: 1 hour
- Occasion: Breakfast, snack, picnic
Main ingredients and substitutions
*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.
Plain flour: I choose regular plain flour for this recipe to make it easy for everyone to make. You can also use a 1:1 gluten-free blend as well if you want to make it GF. I love King Arthur’s and Bob’s Red Mill!
3 ripe bananas: Use sweet ripe bananas for this recipe. If your bananas are perfectly yellow then they still need a couple of days to have the black sugar spots, that’s when the bananas are perfect for making this recipe.
Vegetable oil: I used regular vegetable oil for this recipe since I find it the most versatile and accessible oil for everyone. If you want to make this recipe healthier tough, you can also use other oil such as olive oil or coconut oil. The flavour of the banana bread may change slightly but it’ll still be delicious.
Brown sugar: Brown sugar has more molasses which creates a soft and moist texture in this banana bread recipe. It’s also a little bit more healthy and wholesome compared to regular white sugar. Having said that, feel free to use any other sugar like granulated sugar, caster, sugar, or coconut sugar.
Baking powder: I usually mix baking soda and baking powder when baking but because we are using only 5 ingredients, I used baling powder only this time.
*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!
Recommended equipment for this recipe
Loaf tin: I used a 2lb loaf tin for this recipe. A 1.5lb tin might work as well!
Parchment paper: Lining your loaf tin with parchment paper is a small but very important step as it prevents the banana bread from sticking to the sides and bottom of the tin and makes it much easier to remove the bread once it’s baked!
Potato masher: Using a potato masher is the easiest way to mash them up. If you don’t have a potato masher, you can simply use a fork to mash the bananas!
*The ingredient list and measurement for this recipe can be found in the recipe card at the bottom.
How to make easy 5 ingredient banana bread
Step 1: Mash Bananas
Preheat the oven to 180°C(350°F).
In a bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a potato masher or a fork until they are a smooth paste. Try to make it as smooth as you can but it’s ok to have some lumps of bananas!
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredient and sugar
Add in the vegetable oil and brown sugar, and mix until well combined. The mixture would look like jelly at this stage.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients and make batter
Add in the plain flour and baking powder, and mix until just combined with a large wooden spoon or silicone spatula. Be sure not to overmix your batter as this can make your banana bread tough and chewy! Mixing gently is the key.
Step 4: Bake
Pour your batter into your lined or greased loaf tin, and smooth out the top. Bake it for 50 minutes then do a toothpick test. Insert it into the centre of the loaf and if it comes out clean with moist crumb, it’s done! If it comes out with wet batter, bake for another 5-10 mins and test again.
If the top of your banana bread starts to burn, cut a sheet of tin foil and place it carefully on the banana bread halfway through baking in the oven. This will prevent the top from burning! Be very careful not to touch the inside of the oven.
Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Slice and serve warm with vegan butter or some peanut butter. I love mine toasted with a generous amount of nut butter. Mmm, yummy. Enjoy!
Serving tips and ideas
- Toast and serve with vegan butter or nut butter.
- Drizzle some maple syrup for a sweet treat!
- Maybe top a slice with a scoop of vegan ice cream and a drizzle of caramel? Definitely!
Expert tips and tricks
Use ripe bananas
The riper the bananas are the sweeter and more flavorful your banana bread will be! If you have some overripe bananas sitting in the fruit basket on your kitchen counter, this recipe is great to use them up too. They are also a lot easier to mash with a masher or a folk too.
Cover the top with tin foil to prevent it from burning
This is a trick I learnt and use often when I bake any loaf cakes. Covering the top with a sheet of tin foil! If the top of your banana bread starts to burn, cut a sheet of tin foil and place it carefully on the banana bread halfway through baking in the oven. This will prevent the top from burning! Be very careful not to touch the inside of the oven.
No overmixing the batter
As I always say, overmixing your batter can make your banana bread tough and chewy and not pleasant in texture or flavour. Mix until the ingredients are just combined using a large wooden spoon or a silicone spatula for the best results!
Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients
Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.
Recipe variations
- Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of vegan chocolate chips to the batter for an easy, sweet and indulgent chocolate chip banana bread! Sprinkle on top to make the bread look nicer too.
- Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of your favourite chopped nuts to make a delicious nut banana bread! I love adding walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, etc. to the batter for a crunchy texture and nutty flavour. Goes nicely with nut butter too!
- Mix 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder into the batter for a warm and cosy flavour that’s perfect for the autumn and winter season! You can also sprinkle cinnamon sugar o top to make it more delicious.
- Fold 1 cup of fresh berries into the batter for banana bread with a burst of fruity sweetness.
How to store
- Refrigerating: If you have made extra banana bread and need to store it for longer than a few days, you can store it in the refrigerator. Place it whole or sliced in an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to a week.
- Freezing: You can also freeze the banana bread too. Slice the banana bread and place it in a freezer-friendly airtight container and store it in the freezer for a later day. It will last for up to three months in the freezer. To have a slice of frozen banana bread, simply take it out of the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Once it’s thawed, reheat it in the microwave or toaster. I like toasting the frozen slice straight from the freezer and it’s a quick and perfect way to have my breakfast when I don’t have time in the morning!
*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.
Q and A
Can I use self-rising flour instead of plain flour and baking powder?
Yes, you can also use self-rising flour instead of plain flour and baking powder if you want. Just use the same amount and it should come out of the oven as delicious! This way you need even less than 5 ingredients.
Can I substitute the vegetable oil with another type of oil?
You can substitute vegetable oil with other types of oil too such as olive oil or coconut oil. Keep in mind that this may affect the flavour of your banana bread slightly though not too noticeable! Olive oil or coconut oil would make a slightly healthier version of this recipe.
How can I tell if my bananas are ripe enough for banana bread?
Look for bananas with brown spots on the skin. These spots are called sugar spots and it’s a sign that the bananas are ripe and are sweet for making banana bread and also easy to mash.
Can I use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar?
Sure, you can use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar! Be sure to weigh it rather than cup measuring it as they have different volumes and consistency.
Want to master the basics of vegan baking?
Check out Vegan Baking 101 – the beginner’s guide to vegan baking for you to become an excellent vegan baker and familiar with the basics of vegan baking, ingredients, and techniques with useful tips!
You will LOVE this 5 ingredients vegan banana bread recipe because it is:
- super moist, soft, and fluffy
- easy and simple to make
- great quick breakfast or snack
Want more recipes like this?
Try my other delicious bread and banana recipes you might enjoy!
- Gluten-free vegan banana bread
- Chocolate chip banana pancakes
- Pumpkin banana muffins
- Chocolate chip pumpkin bread
Visit the loaf page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!
Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!
Recipe Card
5 Ingredient Banana Bread – Easy & Vegan!
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- Author: Maiko
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 1 loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This moist, fluffy, and delicious banana bread is made with only 5 ingredients, is easy to make, and also vegan! They are ready in under 1 hour and can be made in 1 bowl too. Perfect as a delicious and healthy breakfast, snacks for school and work, and for a picnic on a sunny day!
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ripe bananas (275g)
- 2 cups (220g) plain flour
- 1/3 cup + 2 tbsp (110ml) vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup (75g) brown sugar
- 1 tsp baking powder
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C(350°F).
In a bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a potato masher or a fork until they are a smooth paste.
- Add in the vegetable oil andbrown sugar, and mix until well combined.
- Add in theplain flourandbaking powder, and mix until just combined with a large wooden orsilicone spatula. Be sure not to overmix your batter!
- Pour your batter into your lined or greased loaf tin, and smooth out the top. Bake it for 50 minutes then do a toothpick test. Insert it into the centre of the loaf and if it comes out clean with moist crumb, it’s done!
- Remove it from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely. Slice and enjoy!
Notes
You can use other oil such as olive oil, coconut oil, etc.
Toast a slice and enjoy with vegan butter or nut butter!
Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Cover the top of the banana bread with tin foil halfway through baking if the top starts to burn too much.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 50 mins
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
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