This cozy vegan banana gingerbread is the perfect breakfast all December long. Warm spices all wrapped up into a big fluffy loaf. It’s also completely whole grain, but you wouldn’t be able to tell based on how fluffy it is!
Banana bread and I broke up when it got too basic back in the early days of quarantine, but we’re back together and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve definitely been into savory breakfasts lately, but if I have banana bread on hand, I’ll pair a savory toast with a slice of fluffy toasted banana bread topped with coconut yogurt and granola.
This cozy vegan banana gingerbread is entirely whole grain, which usually doesn’t result in the fluffiest baked goods, but spelt flour is on another level. It is a more ancient grain than whole wheat flour and it has a similar nutrient profile. Yet unlike whole wheat flour, spelt adds a sweet nutty taste to baked goods and doesn’t result in an uncomfortably dense loaf. I’m all for treating yourself every now and then, but if I’m going to eat something every day, I’d prefer that it be more nutrient-dense. That’s why I adore One Degree Organic’s sprouted spelt flour. I use spelt flour for everything from banana bread to pancakes to cookies! (Click here for another opinion that confirms everything I observed.)
The Rundown
1. Spelt flour. If you don’t have spelt flour, you can easily make this recipe with all-purpose flour, GF 1-to-1 flour, or whole wheat pastry flour.
2. Spices: ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. I didn’t have allspice on hand and it was still delicious, but I’d recommend using it if you have it.
3. Aquafaba. Instead of using an egg, help eliminate food waste by using the liquid left in a can of chickpeas: aquafaba! I first tried this when I tried Rainbow Plant Life’s banana bread and it was absolutely splendid. You can substitute a flax egg, but I haven’t tested that.
4. Olive oil. Again, this was inspired by Rainbow Plant Life’s post. She said that butter would make the banana bread drier and more crumbly. I’ve had zero issues with using extra virgin olive oil with my banana bread and can’t taste it at all!
5. Sweetened with molasses and brown sugar. Because would this even be gingerbread without those? I don’t think so.
Banana Gingerbread
Ingredients
- 2 cups spelt flour sub all-purpose flour
- 1.5 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp allspice optional
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 bananas + 1 for the top if you want to make it prettier!
- 6 tbsp aquafaba sub flax egg (have not tested this)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup nondairy milk
- 3 tbsp molasses
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F and position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
- Add dry ingredients to a bowl: flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, sea salt, allspice, and baking soda.
- Whip aquafaba with hand mixer for a minute. It should turn white and foamy.
- Mash banana with a fork and add to bowl with aquafaba, brown sugar, and olive oil. Whisk with hand mixer.
- Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Add molasses and milk.
- Whisk it all together, pour mixture into a 9 x 5 loaf pan, add a 4th banana on top if desired, and bake in the lower third of the oven for 55-60 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center).
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So glad it worked and that you enjoyed it!
I tried this recipe using all-purpose flour and eggs and it was perfect! It was moist and packed with flavor.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I love it with coconut yogurt too 🙂
Great vegan bread for snacks and breakfast. Amazing with coconut yogurt.