Seriously the Best Vegan Banana Bread
From: Ian Seddon's Cookbook
🥘 Ingredients
- oat milk 6 tbsp
- medium very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots 3
- freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 tbsp
- aquafaba 6 tbsp
- sunflower oil or any neutral-flavored oil 0.33 cup
- organic brown sugar ¾ cup
- pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- all-purpose flour 2 cup
- fine sea salt ¼ tsp
- baking soda not baking powder! 1 tsp
- ground cinnamon 1 tsp
- freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg ¼ tsp
- banana 1
- dark chocolate chips or of chopped dark chocolate 4 oz
- toasted walnuts or pecans ¾ cup
- demerara sugar coarse sugar; see Note 4 1 tbsp
If you don’t have a can of chickpeas, you can substitute 2 flax eggs instead. To make the flax eggs, mix 2 tbsp of ground flaxseed meal with 5 tbsp of water. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes to thicken. Skip step 4; simply mix with the liquid ingredients in step 5. If you are limiting your sugar intake, you can use less sugar, as little as 1/4 cup with decent results. Use a digital scale for the most precise results. If you are not using a measuring scale to weigh ingredients, spoon and level your flour so you don’t overmeasure. More info in the Tips section of my blog post. You can add extra ingredients to the batter instead of having the sliced banana on top to jazz up your banana bread, such as dark chocolate chips/chopped dark chocolate, or walnuts/pecans, or sprinkle demerara sugar on top. For the best flavor, toast the walnuts/pecans in a frying pan or in the oven at 350ºF / 175ºC until nutty and a few shades darker. Don’t just insert a toothpick vertically down into the bread. Instead, insert it at an angle, which is a much better test for doneness in a tall cake. Storage: To store, place completely cooled banana bread in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic and leave on the counter for 3 to 5 days. NOTE: If you plan to keep this bread longer than 1 day, skip the decorative banana topping, as it will start to brown and get mushy. Storage: You could also freeze the banana bread (be sure to skip the decorative sliced banana on top). Wrap cut slices or in foil, then place it in an airtight container or bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Slices should defrost on the counter within 30 minutes.
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1Gather: oat milk , medium very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots , freshly squeezed lemon juice , aquafaba , sunflower oil or any neutral-flavored oil , organic brown sugar , pure vanilla extract , all-purpose flour , fine sea salt , baking soda not baking powder! , ground cinnamon , freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg . For the toppings / mix-ins – pick one (optional): banana , dark chocolate chips or of chopped dark chocolate , toasted walnuts or pecans , demerara sugar coarse sugar; see Note 4 .
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2Preheat the oven to 350°F / 176°C. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, letting the excess hang over the long sides to form a sling.
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3In a glass, stir the lemon juice into the oat milk and set aside. This is the vegan "buttermilk."
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4Add the 3 bananas to a bowl and mash with a fork until smooth and no lumps remain (this should weigh around 300-315 g, or timer 1/3 cup).
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5Pour the aquafaba into a medium bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer, whip the aquafaba on medium speed for about 45 seconds until uniformly foamy, including at the bottom (you will need to tilt the bowl).
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6Mix the liquid ingredients: In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and oil. Mix using the electric mixer until well combined. Add the whipped aquafaba and mix until well incorporated. Add in the vegan "buttermilk” and vanilla; mix again until incorporated. Now add the mashed bananas and mix once again until well combined.
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7Add the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg (if using) to the wet ingredients. Switch to using a silicone spatula (or wooden spoon) and gently fold the ingredients together until the batter is just barely combined (it’s okay if you can see light traces of flour). NOTE: If using chocolate chips or walnuts/pecans, gently fold them in now.
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8Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top of the batter using a spatula or spoon. NOTE: If using the decorative banana topping, keep the peel on and slice in half, lengthwise, then peel. Sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on the cut sides, then gently arrange on top of the batter, sugared side up. If the batter domes up in the middle, use a spoon to move some of batter around the pan. NOTE: If using demerara sugar, sprinkle it evenly over the surface of the batter.
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9Bake in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes , checking at 45 minutes to avoid overbaking. Do not open the oven door before 45 minutes, as it allows the heat to escape. The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center at a slight angle comes out with a few moist crumbs (see Note 6); if there is runny batter, it needs more time. NOTE: If your banana bread is browning on the top but not done in the middle, loosely tent the bread with foil, then bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.
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10Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 10 minutes . Lift up the bread from the pan using the parchment paper handles, and transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 20 to 30 minutes before slicing (the bread is still setting up, so don't slice too early).